Sen. Angela McKnight

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $615,000 as a supplemental grant to the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership through the Department of Human Services. The funds will support the Partnership's operating costs for providing free, confidential information and referral services to New Jersey residents about health, social, and emergency resources. The 2-1-1 service, designated as New Jersey's sole administrator since 2002, connects callers to community support programs using the nationwide 2-1-1 dialing code. The grant is added to the existing 2025-2026 state budget as a supplemental appropriation.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A5785) requires all health insurance plans to cover specific preventive services without cost sharing or waiting periods, with coverage required at least once per calendar year (January 1 to December 31). It affects all health insurance plans in New Jersey, including hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations, and individual and group health insurance plans. The bill covers evidence-based services rated "A" or "B" by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, CDC-recommended immunizations, and preventive care for children and women as outlined in federal guidelines. Insurers must cover these services through out-of-network providers if they don't have in-network providers available for the service. This ensures people with health insurance in New Jersey can access recommended preventive care annually without financial barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $615,000 from the General Fund to the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) for a grant to the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership. The funding directly supports the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership, which operates New Jersey’s statewide 2-1-1 service providing free information and referrals to health, social, and emergency services. The bill adds this amount to the existing fiscal year 2026 budget for DHS’s Behavioral Health Services division. The 2-1-1 service, designated by New Jersey in 2002 as the sole state administrator for the nationwide 2-1-1 dialing code, connects residents to community resources through a single phone number.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5052) requires New Jersey health insurers, Medicaid (NJ FamilyCare), and state health benefit programs to cover screening, prevention, and treatment services for children's behavioral health issues without requiring a formal mental health diagnosis. It establishes "at-risk diagnosis" as a billing mechanism, allowing providers to use Social Determinants of Health Z-codes (instead of standard mental health codes) for preventive care based on factors like family circumstances. Coverage must be provided at the same level as other medical services for children under 18. The law applies to all health plans, Medicaid contracts, and state employee health programs effective 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's legal definitions for waterfront workers to clarify who qualifies under state law. It specifically updates terms like "longshoreman" (defined as workers moving freight at piers, checking cargo, or supervising others) and "checker" (workers handling cargo accounting). These changes directly affect dockside workers, carriers, stevedores (dock operators), and employers in New Jersey's port operations. The bill streamlines existing definitions without creating new regulations, ensuring consistent classification for workers in the port industry. It focuses on precision in terminology rather than policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 4913) requires health insurance plans sold in the state to cover specific preventive services without copays or deductibles. It affects all hospital and medical service corporation contracts issued in New Jersey, mandating coverage for evidence-based services rated "A" or "B" by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, CDC-recommended immunizations, pediatric care guidelines, and women's preventive screenings. The key provision ensures coverage for these services occurs on a calendar year basis (January 1-December 31), not tied to an insurance plan’s annual cycle. This means patients must receive annual coverage for these services without waiting periods or cost-sharing, regardless of when their insurance plan year begins.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey cosmetology, barbering, and hair braiding schools to include training on textured hair (defined as coiled, curly, or wavy hair) in their existing curricula. The training must cover working with various coil, curl, and wave patterns, hair strand thickness, and hair volume. It also mandates that textured hair be included in both written and practical portions of licensure examinations for these professions. The requirement is to be integrated into current training without adding additional hours of instruction.

Maddy summaryS 1965 requires New Jersey long-term care facilities (including nursing homes and assisted living residences) to have a consultant pharmacist and either a provider pharmacist or an in-house pharmacy director. It mandates an interdisciplinary pharmacy committee - comprising the facility administrator, nursing staff, and consultant pharmacist - to meet quarterly and maintain records. The bill also prohibits consultant pharmacists from having conflicts of interest with facility pharmacy staff and requires proper Drug Enforcement Administration registration for facilities storing controlled substances. These requirements take effect immediately, with the Health Commissioner authorized to create implementing rules. The bill directly affects all licensed long-term care facilities in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Aspire Program to provide tax credit incentives specifically for redevelopment projects by institutions of higher education and distressed hospitals. It defines "institutional project" as one where at least 51% of square footage is dedicated to qualified research and development, including spaces like labs, classrooms, and dorms. The bill allows developers to receive tax credits equal to 80% of project costs (up to $120 million), requires a minimum $30 million capital contribution from developers, and exempts these projects from the standard net benefit analysis required for other redevelopment projects.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates July 30 of each year as "Brian Sicknick Day" in New Jersey to honor Officer Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died protecting the Capitol on January 6, 2021. It requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation recognizing the day. The resolution commemorates Sicknick’s service, including his 12-year career with the Capitol Police and his New Jersey roots (born in New Brunswick, served in the NJ Air National Guard). As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect beyond recognition.