Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers with state contracts to pay employees their usual wages for each day of jury service, minus any daily jury fee they receive. It applies specifically to employers who have a state contract (any agreement paid with state funds) and employ an average of at least 50 people for 20+ weeks. Employees must have worked for the employer at least 12 months and 1,000 base hours in the prior year. Violations are punishable as disorderly persons offenses, and employees can sue for lost wages or reinstatement within 90 days.

Maddy summaryS 2257 requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover family planning and reproductive health care services - including abortion, contraception, counseling, and related medical care - without cost-sharing. It directly affects health insurers, Medicaid, and medical providers by mandating comprehensive coverage and prohibiting medical malpractice insurance companies from penalizing providers for offering legally protected reproductive care. The bill defines covered services to include abortion procedures, emergency care, genetic testing, and well-baby care, while explicitly excluding childbirth. This policy aims to remove financial barriers, particularly for low-income individuals, people of color, and those in rural areas, ensuring access to reproductive health services without insurance restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Civil Service Commission to create a free mentoring program for civil service firefighter applicants living in municipalities with a median income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. The program provides guidance through the application, exam, and hiring process via workshops, study groups, and resources to help overcome barriers, particularly to compete with applicants from wealthier areas using private study groups. Mentors - current or former firefighters in good standing - volunteer without pay, and applicants can use the program up to three times within a decade. The Commission must annually review the program’s effectiveness and ensure no fees are charged to participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides automatic eligibility for New Jersey's subsidized child care program to child care workers (defined as those employed 20+ hours/week at licensed centers or registered providers), regardless of their family income. It requires the Human Services Commissioner to create a verification process confirming workers' employment hours and to seek necessary federal waivers to maintain funding under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. The policy change directly affects child care staff seeking subsidized care for their own children, removing income barriers for this specific group. The law does not alter existing subsidy rules for other families but streamlines access for qualifying child care workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to hire at least one full- or part-time certified nutrition specialist, registered dietitian, or registered dietitian nutritionist. It directly affects school districts (which must comply with staffing requirements) and students (who gain access to nutrition expertise). The key mechanism is a mandatory staffing provision, effective three school years after enactment. The bill cites CDC research linking student nutrition (e.g., intake of fruits, vegetables, and key nutrients) to academic performance, attendance, and grades, positioning nutrition staff as a tool to support these outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State of New Jersey to reimburse counties for holiday pay costs when county employees perform State government services on certain county-specific holidays. Counties must pay employees holiday pay (up to 1.5x base hourly rate) for work on these holidays, then apply to the Division of Local Government Services for reimbursement of the amount exceeding the employee's regular base salary. The State reimburses counties annually for these qualifying expenses, which counties must deduct from their next fiscal year's tax levy base. Counties may also count anticipated reimbursements as budgeted revenue for spending when received. The bill directly affects counties and their employees who perform State services on holidays not recognized as State holidays under existing law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all legal firearm owners in New Jersey to store unloaded guns in locked safes or containers and ammunition separately in locked containers. First-time violations mandate 10-40 hours of community service with approved gun violence prevention organizations, while repeat violations or incidents where improperly stored firearms cause injury/death escalate to criminal charges. The bill repeals prior laws about minors accessing firearms, appropriates $500,000 for an Attorney General-led public awareness campaign, and mandates retailers to provide written warnings and display signage about storage requirements. It directly affects firearm owners storing guns at their homes or premises.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs for children. The 23-member commission includes state education and human services agency heads (as ex officio members) and 19 public members appointed by the Governor, representing organizations like schools, parents, child care providers, and youth development experts. The commission’s duties include assessing current programs, examining funding sources, studying access across urban/suburban/rural areas, and recommending improvements to program quality and accountability. It must submit an interim report within one year and a final report within two years, after which the commission will expire. The bill does not change existing funding or programs but creates a review body to inform future policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (with input from the Department of Labor) to create and distribute informational materials about family leave programs under the state's 1989 Family Leave Act. Specifically, it mandates that healthcare facilities providing maternity care must make these materials available in waiting areas and give them to patients at the time of discharge. The materials must be included in hospital discharge plans for patients with designated caregivers, as part of the required after-care instructions. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's legal definition of "abused child" to include situations where harm is caused by someone who isn't the child's parent or legal guardian - including another child under 18. It adds specific provisions clarifying that a child is deemed abused if non-parents (including minors) commit acts described in the existing definition, while excluding incidents occurring in day schools. The change directly affects children in these scenarios and ensures caregivers, schools, and institutions must address such harm under the law. It does not alter existing protections for children receiving spiritual treatment or change the core requirements for reporting abuse.