Sen. Patrick Diegnan

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's public and independent colleges and universities to maintain a supply of opioid antidotes (like naloxone) in secure, accessible locations for emergency use. Institutions must create a policy allowing licensed medical staff and trained campus employees to administer the antidote in good faith if they believe someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, with a requirement to transport the person to a hospital afterward. Staff who follow the policy in good faith are protected from liability, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The policy must include training on standardized protocols for overdose response, based on state guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts people with disabilities and homeless individuals from paying standard identification card fees in New Jersey. To qualify, people with disabilities must provide proof of disability (verified by the Motor Vehicle Commission and the Social Security Administration), and homeless people must provide proof of temporary residence through a social worker or emergency shelter coordinator. The waiver applies to all standard fees (such as for original, duplicate, or renewal cards) without changing fees for other residents. The bill also requires the Motor Vehicle Commission to report annually to the Office of Homelessness Prevention about fee waivers granted to homeless applicants.

Maddy summaryS 894 requires school buses transporting students with special needs in New Jersey to install three safety features: an interior video camera for monitoring student safety, real-time GPS tracking for location/speed, and two-way communication equipment. The bill specifies that collected video footage and GPS data are not considered government records under state disclosure laws. It directs the State Board of Education and Motor Vehicle Commission to create rules for installing, using, and retaining this data, including retention time limits. The law applies specifically to school buses serving students with special needs and takes effect six months after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 1193 (New Jersey) allows eligible voters who missed the 21-day registration deadline to register and vote on election day or during early voting. It permits registration at assigned polling places on election day or at early voting sites by providing ID or address verification (e.g., utility bill, photo ID) and completing a provisional ballot affirmation. This directly affects voters who did not register before the deadline but appear at their polling location or early voting site during the early voting period. The bill amends Section 19:31-6 of New Jersey law to establish this process, ensuring provisional ballots are counted if requirements are met. It does not change the standard 21-day registration deadline for regular voting.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 58) provides property tax exemptions for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It allows veterans with a 30% or higher disability rating (including specific conditions like blindness, amputations, or paralysis) to receive a tax exemption proportional to their disability percentage, up to 100%. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions under defined conditions. Crucially, the bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions, ensuring local governments aren’t financially burdened. The policy directly affects honorably discharged veterans with qualifying disabilities and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1668) updates New Jersey's definition of "veteran" to clarify who qualifies for civil service and pension benefits. It specifies that veterans must submit service evidence to the state's Veterans Affairs office within eight days before employment lists are issued, with automatic eligibility for those with service-connected injuries or disabilities (regardless of service duration). The changes affect veterans of multiple conflicts, including World War I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and specific peacekeeping missions (e.g., Lebanon, Grenada, Panama), by aligning eligibility criteria with current federal standards. The bill does not alter benefit amounts but ensures consistent eligibility verification for veterans seeking state employment or pension benefits.

Maddy summaryS 2241 expands New Jersey's subsidized child care assistance program to cover families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL), raising the income limit from 200% FPL ($55,500 for a family of four in 2022) to 300% FPL ($83,250 for a family of four in 2022). The bill requires the Division of Family Development to establish at least four income tiers for determining eligibility and co-payment amounts. It appropriates necessary state funds for implementation, to be determined by the Commissioner of Human Services and approved by the budget office. This change directly affects low-to-moderate-income working families who previously exceeded the income threshold for child care subsidies.

Maddy summaryS 2239 extends New Jersey's requirement that child care subsidy payments for licensed centers and registered family day care providers be based on the number of enrolled eligible children (not attendance) until June 30, 2025. The bill mandates that providers set staff wages and hours based on enrollment numbers, not attendance, and requires the Division of Family Development to study the cost differences between enrollment-based and attendance-based payments. This study must be reported to the Governor and Legislature within three years of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryS 1983 would eliminate the requirement for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey to practice under physician collaboration or supervision, allowing them to provide care independently. This directly affects APNs - over 75% of whom specialize in primary care - and aims to improve healthcare access in underserved communities, including areas with physician shortages and among racial/ethnic minorities, low-income populations, and those facing transportation barriers. The bill cites that 24 states and the District of Columbia already permit full practice authority for APNs, and during pandemic waivers (Executive Order 112), no adverse incidents occurred while APNs practiced without restrictions. It states removing these barriers could reduce healthcare access disparities by over 38 percent, aligning New Jersey with other states to address chronic shortages in primary care services.

Maddy summaryS 2064 establishes the New Jersey Student Teacher Scholarship Program, providing up to $7,200 per semester to eligible students completing clinical practice in teacher preparation programs. The scholarship directly supports New Jersey residents enrolled full-time in approved educator preparation programs who are completing required clinical practice to earn a "certificate of eligibility with advanced standing." To qualify, students must be NJ residents, enrolled full-time in an approved program, and complete program steps for clinical practice. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will administer the program, collect annual demographic and effectiveness data, and may prioritize students seeking high-demand teaching fields like math or special education. The scholarship terminates for academic dismissal or program withdrawal but requires no repayment if terminated due to illness or family emergencies.