Sen. Renee Burgess

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts, municipalities, counties, and similar local government units to actively identify and implement cost-saving practices when buying goods and services. It mandates that these entities evaluate purchasing methods - like group buying or competitive bidding - to reduce expenses for items such as supplies, equipment, or services. The law applies to all procurement activities, including those under $50,000 (below the "bid threshold"), and aims to improve efficiency without altering existing contracting rules. It directly affects school boards and local governments managing public spending.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to expand eligibility for accidental disability benefits. It allows state employees who worked at a psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately before joining PERS to apply for benefits if they sustained a work-related injury after January 2003 - even if the injury occurred before they became a PERS member. The key change deems such injuries as happening during membership, making the employee eligible for the benefit. This adjustment specifically applies to injuries from duties at these facilities, without altering the requirement that injuries must be work-related and reported within five years (with exceptions for delayed symptoms).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1276) requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey - covering hospital services, medical expenses, and individual/group policies - to cover prenatal genetic testing during the first trimester of pregnancy. It specifically mandates coverage for three testing methods: carrier screening (cheek swab blood/tissue test), nuchal translucency screening, and chorionic villus sampling. Benefits must be provided at the same level as coverage for other medical conditions under the policy. The law applies to all relevant insurance contracts issued or renewed in New Jersey, including those where insurers reserve the right to adjust premiums.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 34) urges the New Jersey Supreme Court to establish payment kiosks for court-ordered fines and fees, similar to existing kiosks used for child support payments. It aims to improve accessibility for people with limited internet access or difficulty visiting municipal buildings by allowing payments at convenient locations like drug stores or shopping centers. The resolution, introduced on January 9, 2024, and referred to the Judiciary Committee, does not create new law but requests the court to adopt this payment method.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to equip every train used for passenger service with an automated external defibrillator (AED). NJT must maintain each AED in an accessible location, ensure it's available during all train operations, and mark its location with a prominent sign. The bill also mandates that every train has an employee trained in CPR and AED use, and requires NJT to notify emergency services about AED locations. These requirements directly affect NJT passengers (through improved emergency response) and NJT staff (through training obligations), with liability protection for staff using the devices.

Maddy summaryS 712 amends New Jersey's assault statute to explicitly include Class Two special law enforcement officers in the list of protected individuals, making it a more serious offense to assault them while performing duties. It also allows arson investigators to carry firearms at all times, removing restrictions that previously limited their weapon-carrying authority. The bill directly affects arson investigators (granting permanent firearm authorization) and Class Two special law enforcement officers (enhancing assault protections). These changes are implemented through specific amendments to the assault law defining aggravated assault.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 701) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create a statewide classification system for maternity care facilities, including hospitals and birthing centers. The system establishes five levels of care based on patient risk: basic care (Level I) for low-risk pregnancies at birthing centers, and progressively higher levels (II-IV) for increasingly complex medical needs, including critical conditions for mothers and newborns. Facilities must meet specific standards for staffing, equipment, and transfer protocols with other facilities to ensure appropriate care. The bill directly affects all maternity care facilities in New Jersey and aims to reduce adverse outcomes and health inequities by standardizing care pathways. The DOH will use data from the Maternal Data Center to evaluate the system's effectiveness.

Maddy summaryS 710 requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to conduct surveys with tenants who have recently been evicted (if they agree to participate) and report the collected data. The survey collects demographic details, immediate housing needs (like access to shelters or permanent housing), geographic relocation information, and financial circumstances of evicted households. This data must be reported to the agency coordinating New Jersey's HUD-mandated homelessness counts. The bill does not change the Rental Assistance Navigation Program's eviction prevention services but adds a data collection requirement to better understand homelessness outcomes for those who were evicted.

Maddy summaryS 716 establishes a voluntary program through New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to help working parents access affordable child care. It allows employers to make direct payments to licensed child care providers for their employees' eligible costs, with the state providing matching funds to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for families. The program requires child care providers to have at least a "Grow NJ Kids" rating of three stars and targets families earning at or below the state median household income. It directly affects employers (any business in NJ), working parents with children, and licensed child care providers meeting quality standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures courts cannot automatically consider a parent's or guardian's disability as a reason to remove a child, terminate parental rights, or deny custody. It requires the Division of Child Protection to prove, with clear and convincing evidence, that the disability directly causes harm to the child and that harm cannot be prevented through accommodations like adaptive equipment or supportive parenting services (e.g., specialized training, sign language interpreters). The law applies to all key child protective proceedings, including abuse/neglect determinations, removal orders, and guardianship decisions. Parents with disabilities must be offered these supportive services instead of facing automatic negative judgments based solely on their disability.