Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an Interagency Council on Menopause within New Jersey's Department of Health to improve care during menopause transitions. It requires licensed health care professionals to provide evidence-based pamphlets about menopause (for patients 40+) or early menopause (for patients 35-39) during annual physical exams. The council, made up of 15 members including health officials and public representatives with relevant expertise, will develop educational resources, support research, and make policy recommendations. The Department of Health must publish these pamphlets within 90 days, and the council must report annually to the Governor and Legislature starting 18 months after the bill's effective date. The bill directly affects women receiving annual physicals and healthcare providers in New Jersey.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2282 establishes a 13-member Youth Sports Task Force to study and recommend solutions for issues in youth sports, including abusive coaching, confrontational parents, and bullying. The task force includes six experts in bullying-related fields, four public members (such as parents and a youth victim of bullying), and three coaches. It will examine specific areas like protecting athletes from unscrupulous for-profit sports entities, improving coach training on bullying, creating parent workshops, and safeguarding sports officials. The task force must submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of forming, after which it will expire. This bill creates a study group with no immediate policy changes - it only sets up an examination process.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a process for certain elderly inmates to seek early release based on long-term incarceration and rehabilitation. It allows individuals who have served at least 20 years (or 30 years for murder convictions) and are age 60 (or 62 for murder) to receive a Certificate of Eligibility for Rehabilitative Release. Courts must then consider factors like public safety, demonstrated rehabilitation, victim input, and reentry planning before potentially modifying sentences. If approved, inmates face a 5-year parole supervision term and must address victim notification requirements during the process.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an 11-member task force to examine school discipline practices in New Jersey public schools, focusing specifically on racial disparities in how policies are applied and the effectiveness of current approaches. The task force will study in-school suspensions, expulsions, physical restraint, and other discipline methods, while reviewing federal guidance like the 2014 "Dear Colleague" letter on equitable discipline. Composed of education officials, school association representatives, and public experts, the group must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 12 months. The bill itself does not change existing policies but creates a formal process to evaluate and improve school discipline equity.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's anti-SLAPP protections (legal safeguards against lawsuits meant to silence people) to individuals who report sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination under state law. It ensures that people making good-faith complaints about these issues cannot be sued for reporting them, requiring courts to pause such cases and potentially dismiss them if the lawsuit lacks merit. The law also allows complainants who successfully defend against these lawsuits to recover legal fees and costs. It directly affects anyone filing reports under New Jersey’s sexual offense laws (N.J.S.2C:24-4) or anti-discrimination statutes (N.J.S.10:5-1 et seq.).
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Commission on Human Trafficking to allow a majority of its authorized members (not the full 17-member group) to exercise the commission's powers and duties. It does not change the commission's responsibilities, which include evaluating trafficking laws, reviewing victim services, promoting coordinated responses, and developing public awareness programs. The change ensures the commission can function effectively even if not all members are present, aligning with standard procedural practices. This is a procedural adjustment to the commission's operating rules.
Maddy summaryS 2151 requires public utilities in New Jersey to notify affected customers about proposed rate increases through bill inserts or local newspaper ads. The notice must include a summary of the filing, the reason for it, and its impact on customers. After the Board of Public Utilities makes a final decision, utilities must send a plain-language summary of that decision to customers 30 days before new rates take effect (if approved) or within 14 days (if denied). The bill also mandates that the Board respond in writing to public questions submitted during rate hearing within 14 days. This bill directly affects utilities and their customers by increasing transparency around rate change processes.
Maddy summaryS 722, now law as P.L.2025, c.200, requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover medically necessary treatments for perimenopause and menopause. It directly affects New Jersey residents with health insurance, mandating coverage for specific services like hormone therapy (including HRT), non-hormonal medications, pelvic floor therapy, bone health screenings, and preventive care for related conditions such as osteoporosis or heart disease. Insurance plans must cover these treatments "to the same extent as for any other medical condition," with clear information provided to subscribers. The law applies to hospital, medical, health service, and individual insurance policies issued or renewed in New Jersey.
Maddy summaryThis bill (S 455) is mislabeled in its title; the actual text amends **special probation rules for substance use disorder cases**, not expungement statutes. It creates a new "special probation" option for individuals with substance use disorders convicted of certain offenses (excluding serious violent crimes), requiring a court to assess their condition, confirm the offense was drug/alcohol-related, and ensure no prior violent convictions. If approved, offenders must enter licensed residential or nonresidential treatment (including medication-assisted therapy) with regular drug testing, replacing incarceration. The bill directly affects people with substance use disorders who meet strict eligibility criteria, aiming to reduce prison time by prioritizing treatment over punishment. *(Note: The bill's title incorrectly references "expungement" despite the text focusing solely on probation and treatment programs.)*
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Minority and Women-Owned Businesses State Contractor Remedies Act" to address ongoing disparities in state contracting. It requires New Jersey state agencies and prime contractors to make a "good faith effort" to increase participation by minority and women-owned businesses, specifically Black, Asian, and Hispanic American-owned businesses and women-owned businesses, based on a 2024 state disparity study showing persistent statistical gaps in contract awards. The law defines key terms like "Black American-owned business" and "Asian American-owned business" with specific ownership criteria (51% ownership by the group) and directs the Department of the Treasury's Chief Diversity Officer to oversee implementation. It does not set fixed percentage goals but mandates evidence of good-faith efforts to meet the needs identified in the disparity study.