Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create and maintain a public list of textbook vendors that provide materials featuring diverse representation in areas like race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. School districts must select new textbooks only from vendors on this list when purchasing, though they may request commissioner approval for non-listed vendors. The law exempts textbooks acquired through the statewide textbook bank or for replacements due to damage. It applies to all public school districts in New Jersey and defines "inclusive material" as content accurately reflecting societal diversity. The bill does not apply to existing textbooks or specific replacement scenarios.

Maddy summaryThis bill re-establishes New Jersey's Arthritis Quality of Life Initiative and an Advisory Council on Arthritis within the Department of Human Services. It requires the department to create two regional arthritis centers (one northern, one southern), develop public education materials about arthritis prevention and treatment, and establish a phone-based referral system connecting people with arthritis to healthcare providers and support services. The initiative directly affects New Jersey residents with arthritis - approximately 1.6 million people in the state - who will gain access to improved resources and information. Key provisions include public awareness campaigns, professional training for healthcare providers, and outcome-based research to enhance arthritis care and reduce related healthcare costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2164) changes liability rules for residential landlords operating through LLCs or corporations. It allows courts to hold individual members, managers, directors, or officers personally responsible for unpaid housing, building, or health code violations - like fines or penalties - when a property has at least three unpaid charges after 13 months. To trigger this, proper notice must be sent to all relevant parties (including owners and lienholders), and the individual must own at least 10% of the LLC. The bill directly affects landlords using corporate structures, making key individuals personally accountable for repeated code violations on residential properties.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to create a public awareness campaign about the Crime Victim's Bill of Rights (established by P.L.1985, c.249) and the Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO). It directly affects crime victims and their families by improving access to information about their rights and compensation benefits. The campaign must include community outreach, training for agencies, and clear public information about eligible crimes, required claim documents, filing deadlines, and specific compensation benefits offered by the VCCO. The goal is to increase understanding of available support services for victims of crime across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey public and private schools, colleges, and degree-granting institutions to let graduating students use their preferred names on diplomas without requiring legal documentation of a name or gender change. Schools may deny requests only if the name misrepresents identity, avoids legal obligations, harms the school's reputation, or is inappropriate. It also requires schools to update records and reissue diplomas/transcripts with a student's legal name upon providing acceptable documents (like a driver's license, passport, or court order), charging only a small fee for reissuance. The policy directly affects all students graduating from participating institutions in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools (a type of charter school) that employ school psychologists to offer remote counseling sessions as an option for students in grades K-12. It mandates that schools must permit virtual sessions unless a school psychologist determines in-person counseling is necessary for a student's well-being. Students are not forced to use remote sessions and may continue attending in-person meetings if preferred. The law applies to schools already providing in-person psychological services and takes effect for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summarySR 47 is a Senate Resolution encouraging New Jersey residents to shop at small local businesses on Main Streets during the holiday season (Thanksgiving through Christmas). It directly affects approximately 800,000 small businesses employing 1.7 million New Jersey residents across diverse sectors like retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. The resolution makes no new laws or funding changes; it simply urges residents to support these businesses as a way to help them thrive amid competition with larger retailers during the holiday shopping period.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Department of Education (DOE) to create specific policies for detecting, investigating, and preventing child abuse and neglect during public health emergencies (like the pandemic) that limit in-person contact. Key provisions include enabling remote reporting via hotlines and video calls, allowing virtual case management for children in care, creating public awareness campaigns about child safety during emergencies, and developing free online training for school staff on identifying abuse during remote learning. DCF must also collect and analyze child abuse reports from the pandemic period and compare them to pre-pandemic data, then submit a report with recommendations. These policies directly affect DCF/DOE operations, schools, families reporting abuse, and children in care during emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires inmates in New Jersey state prisons or county correctional facilities to attend a Medicaid enrollment session at least 60 days before release. During the session, trained staff from county welfare agencies or correctional facilities must help inmates complete and submit Medicaid applications. Inmates who choose not to participate must provide written opt-out consent, and staff must still explain Medicaid benefits and how to apply post-release. The law aims to improve healthcare continuity for returning residents by streamlining Medicaid access before release.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and certain state facilities (including developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals) in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios, such as 1 nurse per 5 medical/surgical patients, 1 per 2 in emergency critical care, and 1 per 1 in burn units. Facilities must implement acuity-based staffing systems that exceed these minimums, considering patient needs and staff skills, while maintaining nurse float pools. The regulations cannot reduce existing staffing levels and apply to all patient units covered by the law.