Maddy summaryThe Electronic Cigarette Extended Producer Responsibility Act requires e-cigarette manufacturers to form a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that will develop and implement a plan for collecting, reusing, recycling, and disposing of e-cigarettes in an environmentally sound way. The PRO must submit a stewardship plan to the Department of Environmental Protection within five years, including collection sites that provide convenient access for 90% of residents within 15 miles of their homes. Producers will pay fees based on the quantity of e-cigarettes they sell and their environmental impact, with lower fees for reusable or recyclable products. After six years, the law prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes from producers not part of the PRO, with civil penalties of up to $500 per violation for noncompliance.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey Transit (NJT) from displaying advertisements promoting gambling (except those for gambling treatment programs), tobacco products, or vapor products (including e-cigarettes and vape devices). It directly affects NJT, which operates public transit systems across New Jersey, by requiring it to remove such ads from buses, trains, and stations. The law defines "vapor products" broadly to cover devices like e-cigarettes and their accessories, while excluding FDA-approved nicotine products. NJT must adopt new rules to implement this ban, effective three months after enactment. The policy change specifically targets advertising locations, not the products themselves.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides a $1,000 tax credit per nursing student for healthcare professionals who mentor them in clinical training for at least 100 hours. The credit applies to advanced practice nurses, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, physicians, physician assistants, and psychologists who serve as preceptors in approved programs. The state will appropriate up to $10 million annually to fund these credits, which are non-refundable and cannot be carried forward to future tax years. Preceptors must submit verification from a nursing school by January 31 each year to claim the credit.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Nursing School Expansion Grant Program to address nursing workforce shortages in New Jersey. It appropriates $25 million from the General Fund, with $24.5 million allocated for grants to eligible nursing education programs at public/independent colleges and hospital-based schools. Programs must apply with data on enrollment, graduation rates, diversity plans, faculty expansion, and educational pathways. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority will administer the program, awarding grants based on criteria developed with the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing, while limiting administrative costs to $500,000. The goal is to increase nursing school capacity and improve the supply of nurses statewide.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits social media platforms from targeting advertisements for vaping products (including e-cigarettes, vape pens, and related accessories) to individuals under age 21. It applies to mainstream platforms like Instagram or TikTok that allow public profiles and user connections, but excludes business communication tools and FDA-approved nicotine products. Violating this law carries civil penalties of up to $250,000 per violation, enforceable through New Jersey courts. The law directly affects social media companies and aims to restrict underage exposure to vaping marketing.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes a legal barrier preventing victims of sexual offenses from recovering pain and suffering damages against public entities (like government agencies or employees) in New Jersey. Currently, public entities are generally barred from paying such damages for any injury, except in cases of permanent disfigurement with high medical costs ($3,600+). The bill specifically adds sexual assault, prohibited sexual acts (N.J.S.A. 2A:30B-2), sexual abuse (N.J.S.A. 2A:61B-1), or other sexual crimes to the list of exceptions. Victims of these offenses can now seek compensation for pain and suffering through lawsuits against public entities. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends a $2 million FY2024 appropriation originally designated for a Convery Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. It allows the city to redirect unused funds toward other pedestrian safety infrastructure projects after the bridge became unfeasible. The change modifies the specific purpose of the state aid allocation under P.L.2023, c.74, without creating new funding. The city can now use the full $2 million for broader pedestrian safety needs, such as crosswalks or sidewalk improvements, rather than the original bridge project.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded program to help new nurses transition into practice through support for healthcare facilities. It requires the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN) to create a 12-month transition program for licensed practical nurses and registered nurses at facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, and home care providers, with mandatory mentorship and data collection on program completers. Facilities must apply for NJCCN approval to receive financial, material, and technical support, with $2 million annually allocated for this purpose - prioritizing veterans' homes, long-term care, and home care providers. The bill also updates the NJCCN's governance structure to include more nurse representatives on its 17-member board.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Senate Resolution (SR 126) condemns the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a budget resolution that would cut $1.5 trillion from federal spending over ten years. It specifically targets $880 billion in cuts to healthcare programs (like Medicaid and Medicare), $330 billion from education funding, and $230 billion from food assistance programs (SNAP). The resolution urges the U.S. Senate to reject the House plan, citing that these cuts would severely impact New Jersey residents: approximately 1.8 million people rely on NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid/CHIP), and 830,000 depend on SNAP for food support. The resolution emphasizes that reduced federal funding could lead to cuts in benefits, eligibility restrictions, or loss of critical healthcare and nutrition services.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1950) expands the authority of New Jersey's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to address complaints and protect rights across a broader range of long-term care settings. It updates definitions to include all long-term care residents aged 60+ (replacing outdated terms like "institutionalized elderly") and explicitly covers facilities such as dementia care homes, continuing care retirement communities, and social day care centers - previously not fully included. The ombudsman’s role is clarified to investigate abuse, exploitation, and rights violations in these expanded settings, including issues like unreasonable confinement or denial of necessary care. This change directly affects residents in nearly all state-regulated long-term care facilities and ensures the ombudsman can advocate for them under a more inclusive legal framework.