Maddy summarySJR 88 designates the last day of February each year as "Rare Disease Awareness Day" in New Jersey. This resolution directly affects all New Jersey residents impacted by rare diseases - nearly 3 million people in the state, given that rare diseases affect about 1 in 10 Americans - and their families, caregivers, and healthcare providers. The bill requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public awareness activities to support those affected by rare diseases, which are defined as conditions impacting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. and collectively affect nearly 30 million Americans. It focuses on raising public understanding of these conditions, reducing isolation for patients, and promoting research, without creating new laws or funding.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill revises the process for appointing a temporary guardian (called "pendente lite") while a full guardianship case is pending in court. It requires courts to find an "imminent critical need" or "imminent risk of substantial harm" to an individual's health, safety, or property before granting temporary authority. The temporary guardian may arrange necessary interim services (like medical care or financial management) and pay from the person's estate, but must provide an itemized accounting of all expenses. The authority is strictly limited to addressing the immediate risk and maintaining the person's affairs in a status quo, with no broad decision-making powers.
Maddy summaryS 3547 requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct case-by-case assessments of employment opportunities provided by community rehabilitation programs and businesses. These assessments determine if jobs - such as those in work crews, call centers, or AbilityOne contracts - meet federal standards for integrated and competitive work, which is important for individuals with disabilities seeking meaningful employment. The bill explicitly prohibits DOLWD and DHS from disqualifying such programs solely because they operate under AbilityOne contracts or the Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act. This applies to all employment options where individuals with disabilities have applied for positions.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's State Auditor to conduct cost-benefit analyses of state programs and initiatives that cost $1 million or more annually or provide $1 million+ in tax credits. It directly affects state agencies and independent authorities managing such programs. The Auditor must analyze both costs and benefits (including alternatives), define key assumptions, and publicly report findings to the Governor and Legislature. The analysis must cover all qualifying programs at least once every five years, with confidential working papers protected but final reports made publicly available online.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3549) requires all health insurance plans sold in New Jersey to cover specific obesity treatments, including preventive care, nutrition counseling, behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity medications. It applies to hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health service corporations, and individual or group health insurance policies. Insurance plans must cover these treatments "to the same extent as for any other medical condition," without additional cost-sharing. The law affects all insurers operating in New Jersey that provide hospital or medical expense benefits, ensuring comprehensive coverage for obesity treatment as a standard medical service.
Maddy summaryS 3596 requires New Jersey's State Board of Education to obtain legislative approval - via a concurrent resolution - from the state legislature before adopting, amending, or readopting any education rules or regulations. It repeals the "Managing for Equity in Education" regulations (N.J.A.C.6A:7), which were specific equity-focused policies in the state's administrative code. The bill shifts oversight of education rule-making from the State Board to the legislature, meaning rules cannot take effect without legislative consent. The repeal removes these equity regulations from school policy, and the bill takes effect immediately.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending New Jersey's constitution to allow public funds to be used for the historic preservation of places of worship. It directly responds to a 2023 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling (Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Morris County) that blocked the use of taxpayer funds for church restoration under historic preservation programs. The amendment would remove the current prohibition in the Religious Aid Clause (Article I, paragraph 3) specifically for historic preservation activities at religious sites. This change would permit counties and municipalities to allocate existing historic preservation funds toward repairing or restoring historically significant churches and other places of worship.
Maddy summaryS 202 requires Rutgers University’s Bloustein School to study how military installations in New Jersey affect the state economy, including jobs, tax revenue, infrastructure projects, and overall economic impacts. The study must analyze direct and indirect effects at both state and county levels, with a report due to the Governor and Legislature within one year. The bill allocates $155,000 from state funds to cover Rutgers’ costs for conducting the study. The findings will provide data to inform state budget and planning decisions related to military installations.
Maddy summarySCR 54 proposes a constitutional amendment to grant property tax exemptions for the primary residences of surviving spouses of certain first responders who die while on duty. It directly affects surviving spouses of law enforcement officers, paid or volunteer firefighters, and paid or volunteer emergency medical personnel (first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad members) who died from work-related duties. The exemption requires the property to have been the first responder's primary residence at the time of death, excludes cases involving the deceased's willful negligence, and ends if the surviving spouse remarries. It also disqualifies spouses who separated under circumstances that would have led to divorce before the first responder's death.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a permanent "Civil Air Patrol Fund" within New Jersey's Department of Military Affairs, requiring an annual $100,000 appropriation from the state General Fund. The fund supports the New Jersey Civil Air Patrol Wing by financing specific programs like cadet STEM/aviation training, search and rescue preparation, disaster relief equipment (including a Redbird flight simulator), and volunteer training. Unspent funds carry forward annually, and the fund may also accept federal grants and public donations. It directly affects the Civil Air Patrol's operational capacity for emergency services and youth development in New Jersey.