Sen. Teresa Ruiz

Maddy summaryS 2225 establishes a four-year summer transition pilot program for rising kindergarten students in New Jersey. It targets students from high-need backgrounds - those with family income at or below 85% of state median income, who did not attend full preschool, or belong to priority groups like English language learners, students with IEPs, or homeless children. Participating school districts must run a six-week summer program focused on language, literacy, and math, plus family support resources, with up to 15 districts selected statewide. The program requires districts to report on participation and outcomes, with funding provided through a dedicated state education fund.

Maddy summaryS 2214, the "Farm Worker Epidemic Health and Safety Act," requires New Jersey state departments to coordinate during public health emergencies (like pandemics) to share information about violations of health, labor, and environmental laws at farm worksites, housing, and transportation facilities. It directly affects farm workers and employers by mandating that the Department of Health collaborate with other agencies (Labor, Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, Agriculture) to track violations and enforce safety standards. Key provisions include establishing a shared information system for departments to coordinate inspections and reporting enforcement actions to the Governor and public within specified timeframes after an emergency ends. The bill aims to prevent disease outbreaks among farm workers - identified as highly vulnerable due to crowded conditions and limited access to sanitation - thereby protecting both workers and public health.

Maddy summaryS 233 establishes the New Jersey Wind Institute for Innovation and Training to support the state's offshore wind industry. The institute, governed by a 9-member board (including agency heads and three gubernatorial appointees with expertise in clean energy and workforce development), will coordinate education, research, and workforce training programs focused on offshore wind. It directly affects New Jersey's clean energy workforce, aiming to help meet the state's goal of 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035. The institute will prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in developing training pipelines for this emerging industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1278) requires New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) and School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) to provide public employers (like municipalities or school districts) with detailed health plan data upon request. It changes the frequency from "once every 24 months" to "once per calendar year" and allows employee representatives to access the data if the employer requests it. The data must include specific medical and prescription information, such as top prescribed drugs by volume and cost, utilization reports, and aggregated claims summaries, while strictly complying with HIPAA privacy rules to protect individual identities. This directly affects public employers participating in SHBP/SEHBP and their employees through transparency about health plan costs and usage.

Maddy summaryS 164 requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover medically necessary hearing aids (for each ear) and cochlear implants for insured individuals under age 21. It applies to hospital service, medical service, health service corporation contracts, and individual health insurance policies. Insurers must cover the full cost of cochlear implant procedures and devices, while limiting hearing aid coverage to $1,000 per hearing aid per ear every 24 months - allowing patients to pay the difference for more expensive devices without penalty. This bill directly affects families of children and young adults needing hearing devices, ensuring insurance coverage for essential hearing healthcare under 21.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to create a pilot program providing free menstrual hygiene products (tampons, menstrual cups, and sanitary napkins) to Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare enrollees. Eligible individuals would receive products at no cost by presenting their Medicaid card at participating pharmacies, with quantities and frequency determined by health experts. The program's implementation depends on federal approval of a waiver under the Social Security Act, as current federal rules prohibit using Medicaid benefits for these products.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to create or expand summer school programs for students entering grades K-12 the following school year. The programs must focus on addressing pandemic-related learning loss through high-quality instruction in language, literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, while also providing family support resources. Schools must accept written parental requests 45 days before the program starts (with special education enrollment requiring IEP team approval), and report program details to the state education commissioner by January 1 each year.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises definitions related to New Jersey's Work First New Jersey cash assistance program, clarifying terms like "alternative work experience," "community work experience," and "dependent child" in statute. It directly affects program recipients (low-income individuals/families receiving cash aid) and administrators (county agencies and the Human Services Commissioner). The key mechanism updates statutory language to specify that work experiences must be with public, nonprofit, or charitable employers (not for-profit), and refines eligibility criteria for dependent children. The bill does not change benefit amounts or new requirements but clarifies existing program definitions. (Introduced January 9, 2024; pending committee review.)

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's family leave law to explicitly include children born through gestational carrier agreements. It updates definitions to clarify that "child" and "parent" encompass arrangements where a parent becomes a legal parent via a written agreement with a gestational carrier. The change ensures employees who use gestational carriers qualify for family leave benefits (such as care for the child during pregnancy and recovery) under existing protections. It directly affects employees in New Jersey working for employers with 30+ employees (or state/local government), expanding their eligibility for leave related to gestational carrier arrangements. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Labor Committee after introduction on January 9, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey state government entities (like departments and agencies serving the public) to provide vital documents and translation services in the 15 most common non-English languages spoken by residents with limited English proficiency, based on Census data. It mandates phased implementation: translations for the top 5 languages within one year, next 5 within two years, and remaining 5 within three years of the law's effective date, with immediate translation for applications and forms. State agencies must also create language access plans detailing how they’ll provide interpretation services (in-person, phone, or video), track language needs, train staff, and post multilingual information posters. The bill specifically excludes automatic translation tools and defines "vital documents" as those affecting access to benefits, legal rights, or program eligibility.