Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summarySJR 108 designates May 17 of each year as "Menstrual Empowerment Day" in New Jersey. The resolution honors inventor Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner (born May 17, 1912), who patented a menstrual hygiene product in 1957 but faced discrimination due to her race. It requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials, organizations, and citizens to observe the day with awareness activities. This symbolic measure aims to promote menstrual health awareness, reduce stigma, and recognize efforts toward equitable access to menstrual products, aligning with global initiatives like World Menstrual Hygiene Day.

Maddy summaryS 3094 requires licensed health care providers offering prenatal care to offer and screen, upon request, pregnant patients with a history of depression for postpartum depression. This bill directly affects pregnant individuals who have experienced depression and the medical professionals who provide their prenatal care. The key provision mandates that providers must proactively offer this screening when requested, adding to existing requirements for postpartum depression education and standard postnatal screenings. The law amends New Jersey's existing postpartum depression policy (P.L. 2000, c.167) to include this specific prenatal screening step.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey counties to use property tax revenue for debt payments without counting those payments toward the 2.5% annual limit on property tax increases. It amends existing law to explicitly include all debt service (such as bond payments) as an exception to the tax levy cap, removing this cost from the calculation that determines allowable tax hikes. The policy directly affects counties by giving them greater flexibility to fund outstanding bonds and loans without triggering the cap. This change simplifies budgeting for debt obligations while maintaining the overall tax increase limit for other spending.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3095 codifies federal rules requiring SNAP (food assistance) agencies to provide bilingual materials and interpreters when specific low-income community language needs exist. It mandates that agencies offer these services in areas with either 100+ single-language minority households (where no English-fluent adults reside) or 5%+ of low-income households speaking the same non-English language. The law requires agencies to use census data and track visitor records to determine where bilingual assistance is needed for SNAP applications, forms, and eligibility processing. This applies directly to SNAP applicants and beneficiaries in qualifying communities across New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education (DOE) to annually collect data from schools on the use of physical restraints and seclusion on students with disabilities. Schools must report details like the number of incidents, types of restraint/seclusion used, duration, and the student's race, gender, age, and county. The DOE must publish this anonymized data online each year, broken down by those demographic factors to ensure transparency. The bill directly affects students with disabilities by creating public accountability for restraint practices, while schools and districts must comply with the reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryS 3060 requires all health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover annual prostate cancer screening without out-of-pocket costs for men aged 40 to 75. This expands current law, which previously only mandated coverage for men 50+ or 40+ with risk factors, by broadening the age range and defining "prostate cancer screening" to include digital rectal exams, PSA tests, and follow-up diagnostics like imaging and biomarker tests. The bill applies to all health plans, including group policies, HMOs, individual plans, and state health benefit programs. It takes effect 90 days after enactment for all new or renewed contracts.

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey establishes new protections for voters in racial, color, and language-minority groups. It requires that all voting policies be interpreted in favor of protecting voting rights and prohibits policies that burden these voters. The law creates a preclearance process for certain political subdivisions needing Attorney General approval before implementing voting changes. It also mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters and establishes a New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data.

Maddy summaryThis bill abolishes New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and replaces its system with a new municipal framework for meeting affordable housing obligations. Municipalities must now determine their own "fair share" of low- and moderate-income housing through binding resolutions, using state-published calculations, while allowing advocates to contest these determinations. The law appropriates $16 million for housing programs to support new construction and rehabilitation of substandard housing, particularly in urban areas. It directly affects all New Jersey municipalities and low-to-moderate-income residents seeking housing, ending regional contribution agreements and establishing clearer deadlines to prevent previous compliance gaps.

Maddy summaryThis bill abolishes New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and replaces its system with a new municipal process for meeting the state's constitutional obligation to provide affordable housing. Municipalities must now adopt binding resolutions setting their own affordable housing goals using state-calculated standards, with public opportunities to contest these determinations. The legislation appropriates $16 million for housing programs and aims to streamline compliance with the Mount Laurel housing mandates, which require communities to provide a "realistic opportunity" for low- and moderate-income housing. It directly affects all New Jersey municipalities and low/moderate-income residents seeking housing access.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey Senate Resolution (SR 82) urges the U.S. Congress to renew funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides monthly internet discounts ($30-$75) and one-time device subsidies to low-income households. The resolution highlights that the ACP currently serves over 20 million households nationwide, including 335,079 in New Jersey, saving enrolled households $8.3 million monthly in broadband costs. It notes the program’s $14.2 billion funding is set to expire in April 2024, risking loss of access for millions who rely on it for work, education, and healthcare. As a non-binding request, the resolution formally asks Congress to extend funding but cannot enact changes itself.