Sen. Patrick Diegnan

Maddy summaryThis bill renames Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital to Richard J. Codey Psychiatric Hospital. It requires the New Jersey Department of Health to update all official publications, signage, and public indicators to reflect the new name, and amends all existing laws, regulations, and documents to replace "Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital" with the new name. The change applies immediately to all references within state law and official materials.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2991) requires all New Jersey public school districts to incorporate age-appropriate bullying awareness and prevention education into Comprehensive Health and Physical Education for students from preschool through 12th grade. It mandates teaching definitions of bullying, types (including physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying), the lasting impact of online actions, how to seek help, and consequences for perpetrators. The curriculum must also develop sensitivity to how bullying is worsened by intolerance based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, or other characteristics. The New Jersey Commissioner of Education must provide schools with sample learning activities and resources to implement this requirement, effective for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1484) exempts sales tax on construction materials, supplies, and services used for specific affordable housing projects. It directly affects housing sponsors who have secured federal, state, or local subsidies for projects where all units are restricted to moderate, low, or very low-income residents (as defined by state law). The exemption applies to materials/services used in building, improving, or repairing qualifying housing, requiring sponsors to apply through state-prescribed procedures. This policy change reduces construction costs for affordable housing developers by removing a sales tax burden on essential building inputs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "The Voter Convenience Act," allows New Jersey voters to cast ballots at any polling place within their municipality on election day, rather than being restricted to their assigned location. County election officials must develop uniform guidelines using electronic poll books to verify voter eligibility and provide the correct ballot for the voter's election district. It applies to all municipalities that choose to implement the change, with optional countywide voting locations also permitted. The bill modifies election procedures but does not alter voting eligibility or ballot content.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Training Clinicians to Support Adults with Autism Workforce Development Program" at Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services. It requires the program to train 8-10 students annually (across undergraduate and graduate disciplines like psychology, social work, and education) with 20-40 hours per week of hands-on clinical training, academic coursework, and research opportunities. The program must include a capstone project focused on improving quality of life for adults with autism. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to fund the program's establishment and implementation.

Maddy summarySCR 43 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to New Jersey's Constitution that grants every resident a fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, a safe climate, and ecologically healthy habitats. It requires the state to act as trustee of public natural resources - such as air, water, public lands, and wildlife - and mandates that these resources be conserved and maintained for all people, both present and future. The amendment specifies that these rights are self-executing, meaning they can be directly enforced in court without requiring new legislation. If approved by voters, this would become a permanent part of New Jersey's Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to reimburse providers at the same rates for certain primary care and mental health services as the federal Medicare program. Starting July 1, 2023, Medicaid rates must equal or exceed Medicare Part B rates for services provided by family doctors, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, and mental health professionals like psychologists and social workers. The law ensures current Medicaid rates won't decrease and applies to both fee-for-service and managed care Medicaid systems. It also mandates a report within one year to the Governor and Legislature on how these rate changes affect access to care and service quality for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 237, the "Clean Energy Act of 2024," requires all retail electricity sales in the state to come from clean sources by 2035. This affects electric utilities and power suppliers, who must meet the standard through a new certificate program tracking clean energy generation. The bill establishes "clean electricity certificate" (CEAC) credits for zero-emission sources like nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. It replaces some existing renewable energy certificate systems and directs the Board of Public Utilities to implement the program, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting existing nuclear and offshore wind projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a civil cause of action for minors and adults with disabilities who experience abuse, neglect, exploitation, or bullying. It extends the statute of limitations for filing such lawsuits: for minors, up to 37 years after reaching adulthood or seven years from discovery of the injury, whichever is later; for adults, seven years from discovery of the injury. The bill requires health care professionals, first responders, and others to report bullying of vulnerable adults to adult protective services, which can then investigate and refer cases to law enforcement. A "vulnerable adult" is defined as someone 18 or older who lives in a community setting and lacks capacity to make decisions due to disability or illness.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's state pension and annuity funds must stop investing in the 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies, defined by carbon content in their oil, gas, and coal reserves. Funds must divest from these companies within one year (two years for coal companies), though they may temporarily pause divestment if fund values drop below 99.5% of their hypothetical value without divestment. Annual reports on progress and investments sold will be required, with transparency mandated to the Governor, Legislature, and Attorney General. The bill directly affects New Jersey's public employee retirement funds and their investment management.