Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Children's System of Care to change how family support and respite care services are provided to youth under 21 with developmental disabilities. It establishes a 12-month authorization period for services (replacing the current 90-day renewal), creates a separate "bank" of respite care hours for families (in addition to existing hours), and mandates an annual reevaluation of service needs. Families or guardians will receive a dedicated respite hour bank for agency-hired, agency-weekend, or self-hired care based on the individual's needs. The bill explicitly prohibits reducing existing respite care hours authorized under previous policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's four-year public universities to create and update annual plans ensuring student access to reproductive health services, including referrals for contraception (including emergency contraception), STI testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion. It mandates 24-hour access to over-the-counter contraception via campus vending machines, retail, or health centers, plus evidence-based education. County colleges must develop referral networks to local providers for off-campus reproductive care. The law does not require institutions to directly provide services but sets specific access requirements, effective seven months after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to reimburse public preschools that are waiting for federal approval to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for costs of snacks provided to children, using $100,000 in state funds. It directly affects public preschools that have submitted federal applications but haven’t yet received approval, leaving them unable to secure full federal reimbursement for snack costs. The key mechanism is a state appropriation to cover the "federally unreimbursed costs" for these preschools’ snack programs. The bill amends existing law to create this specific reimbursement pathway, targeting a gap in federal coverage for certain preschools. It does not change eligibility requirements or expand the program beyond the $100,000 appropriation.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2982) expands the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to cover **all long-term care residents**, removing the previous age restriction that limited its focus to elderly individuals. It updates key definitions to clarify that the Ombudsman's role applies to any resident in facilities providing long-term care (including dementia care homes, retirement communities, and medical day care centers), regardless of age. The bill also broadens the scope of "facilities" covered and revises definitions of terms like "abuse," "exploitation," and "caregiver" to ensure consistent application. This change ensures the Ombudsman can address complaints and protect rights for all long-term care residents, not just those aged 60+. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover community violence prevention services for eligible recipients. It adds these services to Medicaid coverage under existing "preventative and rehabilitative services" (Section 12 of the amended law), directly affecting Medicaid beneficiaries and violence prevention providers. The bill also establishes a state training and certification program for professionals working in violence prevention. This creates a new pathway for Medicaid reimbursement for evidence-based community violence intervention programs. The legislation is currently pending in the Senate Health Committee.

Maddy summaryS 2235 establishes a five-year "Conception to Cradle" pilot program within New Jersey's Department of Education to provide integrated early childhood services, including prenatal support for mothers and health, nutrition, and developmental services for infants and toddlers from birth to age three. The program targets 50 public schools with the worst student performance to receive training and a site coordinator, prioritizing those in low-income communities to address early development gaps. It requires partnerships between schools, health providers, and community organizations to coordinate services focused on the critical first three years of life, with annual audits to ensure accountability.

Maddy summaryS 506 requires public school students in New Jersey who sustain a concussion to receive an evaluation and written clearance from a physician or licensed health care provider trained in concussion management before returning to school or participating in any physical activity at school (including recess, physical education, or sports). The bill mandates that school districts implement any restrictions recommended by the physician through their 504 team and notify all relevant staff. It prohibits students from engaging in physical activities until they have the required clearance. This bill directly affects all public school students in New Jersey who experience concussions and requires school districts to follow specific health protocols.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2701) expands accidental death benefits for survivors of New Jersey police and fire officers (PFRS members) who die on duty. It explicitly adds "companion" as a beneficiary category - defined as a cohabiting partner meeting specific criteria (e.g., 2+ years together, shared household expenses) - to receive the same 70% of final salary benefit previously reserved for spouses, when no spouse, children, or parents survive. The bill also clarifies that final salary used for calculations must be adjusted for inflation, as required by existing law. These changes apply to accidental death benefits, not other pension types, and ensure companions receive benefits equal to spouses under the same conditions.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's SCR 25 is a non-binding resolution urging Congress and the President to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from the Jones Act's shipping restrictions. The bill targets provisions requiring goods shipped between U.S. ports to use U.S.-flagged vessels built, owned, and crewed by Americans. Puerto Rico, as an unincorporated U.S. territory, faces higher shipping costs under these rules - impacting hurricane recovery efforts like Hurricane Maria's aftermath and Puerto Rico's ongoing economic crisis. A permanent exemption would allow cheaper foreign shipping for consumer goods (excluding defense-related items), aiming to lower costs for residents and speed economic recovery. The resolution cites the 2017 hurricane and Puerto Rico's $74 billion debt as key reasons for the change.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's nursing assistant and homemaker-home health aide certification exams to be available in multiple languages, including at minimum English and Spanish. It directly affects individuals seeking these certifications by making the exams accessible to non-English speakers. The law mandates the Department of Health and the New Jersey Board of Nursing to provide translations for all required written and oral exams. The bill takes effect six months after enactment, with rules to be adopted as needed under existing administrative procedures.