Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover prescription drugs for "serious mental illness" (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and PTSD) without prior authorization or step therapy protocols. It directly affects individuals with these diagnoses who rely on insurance for mental health medications. Key provisions ban insurers from forcing patients to try lower-cost treatments first (step therapy) or requiring pre-approval for covered medications. The bill also mandates insurers to report how they apply medical necessity standards for mental health coverage to ensure parity with physical health benefits. This creates immediate, concrete changes to medication access for covered mental health conditions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 971) upgrades stalking charges when perpetrators use monitoring devices or apps on a victim’s phone to track location or intercept communications. It directly affects victims of stalking and stalkers who misuse technology like location trackers or communication-monitoring apps installed on the victim’s device. The key change makes such stalking a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison) instead of a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months), applying when the stalking involves accessing the victim’s phone data or location through installed programs or devices. The law targets common tools like pre-installed apps or downloadable trackers, not general phone use.
Maddy summaryS 1020 creates a new third-degree crime in New Jersey for "gang assault," defined as causing bodily injury to another person when aided by two or more other people actually present and with intent to cause harm. It directly affects individuals who commit violent assaults in groups of three or more, including those targeting third parties. The bill specifies that "bodily injury" includes physical pain, illness, or physical impairment, and sets penalties of 3-5 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both. This law is modeled after a similar provision in New York state law.
Maddy summaryS 985 would exempt transfers of residential real property (such as single- or two-family homes, including attached garages) between family members who already co-own the property from New Jersey's inheritance tax. Currently, only transfers to spouses, domestic partners, children, and some immediate relatives are exempt; this bill expands the exemption to include siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. The change applies to property passing between co-owning family members, not new transfers to unrelated parties. The bill would take effect for taxable years beginning after its enactment.
Maddy summaryS 2541 allocates $4.32 billion from New Jersey's Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to help all 565 municipalities and 21 counties retire existing local debt or fund capital projects (like water systems, parks, or public safety facilities) without issuing new bonds. It directs the Department of Treasury to distribute $3 billion to municipalities equally per resident and $1.32 billion to counties equally per resident, with all funds to be distributed within 30 days of enactment. The bill adds $2.35 billion to the fund from the General Fund to support this allocation. This directly affects every local government in New Jersey by providing immediate, equitable funding for debt reduction and infrastructure.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Treasurer to deduct from public research universities' state operating funds the costs incurred by institutions in implementing agreements made with student protestors related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. It specifically targets expenses like accepting displaced Gazan students, creating an Arab Cultural Center, partnering with Birzeit University, hiring staff focused on Middle East/Palestine studies, establishing a Palestinian studies center, displaying certain flags, and providing amnesty for participants in anti-Semitic protests. The legislation directly affects public research universities (as defined in state law) that reached such agreements with protestors. It takes effect immediately upon passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey law enforcement officers to voluntarily receive one-time emergency alerts on their personal cell phones or laptops during public safety threats. The alerts - defined as messages about emergencies endangering public health or safety - must be stored externally (not on the device) and expire automatically, with no access permitted afterward. Crucially, the alert content cannot be used as evidence in court or considered a public record under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act.
Maddy summaryS 1008 proposes creating an independent State Office of the Consumer within New Jersey's Legislative Branch, headed by a director appointed by Senate and Assembly leadership. The office would directly assess local governments, school districts, state offices, and health insurance companies by making random phone calls to evaluate responsiveness and conducting website usability reviews. It would require the director to submit monthly reports to the Governor and Legislature detailing findings on call accessibility and website user-friendliness. The bill establishes this office as a new oversight body focused on improving public access to government services and information.
Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to Cranford Township for flood control projects. It directly affects residents and infrastructure in Cranford, Union County, by funding specific flood mitigation work. Key provisions include constructing a pumping station to divert stormwater into the Rahway River, upgrading storm sewers, developing wetland data, and elevating riverbank dikes. The funds are allocated under a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Environmental Protection for the Cranford Northeast Quadrant Flood Control Project. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends the deadline for New Jersey taxpayers to file amended returns correcting overpayments related to military pensions or survivor benefits. It specifically ensures that taxpayers affected by errors in reporting these payments can file claims within 2 years of the required federal correction, instead of facing shorter time limits. The change directly helps military retirees and survivors who overpaid state income tax due to initial misreporting of pension income. The key mechanism clarifies that the 2-year window under existing law (N.J.S.54A:9-8(c)) applies to these specific military benefit corrections. This adjustment provides a practical administrative fix without altering tax rates or eligibility.