Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Office of the Public Defender to provide legal representation to indigent defendants charged with criminal contempt for violating specific domestic violence restraining orders. It applies to violations that could result in jail time, such as those involving orders against contact or firearm possession, while explicitly excluding violations related to parenting time, financial compensation, counseling, rent, or temporary possession of property. The law expands the scope of mandatory legal aid to ensure these individuals have counsel during proceedings where they face potential incarceration. This change takes effect four months after the bill is enacted and addresses a recommendation from a state judicial committee.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a legal process in New Jersey to quickly appoint a court-appointed receiver to take over a hospital that closes or stops essential services without following the required state approval rules. It directly affects the state Department of Health, city governments, and hospitals by giving them the authority to sue in court within three days to stop an unauthorized shutdown. If the court agrees that immediate action is needed, it can assign a neutral third party to manage the hospital's operations and ensure patient care continues while the situation is resolved. The law also requires that the person appointed to run the hospital cannot have any financial stake in the facility to prevent conflicts of interest.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the New Jersey earned income tax credit from 40 percent to 50 percent of the federal earned income tax credit amount, effective for tax years beginning in 2026. The change directly affects New Jersey residents who qualify for the federal earned income tax credit, allowing them to receive a larger refundable state tax credit based on their federal eligibility. By amending the state tax code, the legislation ensures that eligible working individuals and families will calculate their state tax benefit using the new higher percentage.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from using spread pricing, a practice where patients pay more at the pharmacy counter than the actual cost of the drug. Instead, the law requires these managers to pass 100% of rebates and fees directly to insurance carriers or purchasers while allowing them to charge standard administrative fees for their services. The legislation also mandates greater transparency by requiring pharmacy benefit managers to submit detailed financial statements and audits to state officials. Additionally, it ensures that patients never pay more out-of-pocket for a prescription than they would if they bought the medication without insurance.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires health benefits plans in New Jersey that use pharmacy benefits managers to allow any pharmacy meeting standard contract terms to join their network. The Commissioner of Banking and Insurance will define these terms as reasonable and relevant by reviewing existing contracts and ensuring reimbursement fees cover pharmacy ingredient and operational costs. The law applies to new or renewed contracts between health plans and pharmacy managers starting thirteen months after it is enacted.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires private health plans, state-purchased insurance contracts, and Medicaid to cover a 12-month supply of prescription hormone replacement therapy for individuals who do not need refrigeration. The legislation defines these drugs as FDA-approved medications used to regulate hormone levels but explicitly excludes certain weight-loss drugs. While the law mandates this coverage, it allows for specific exceptions, such as limiting refills during the last quarter of a plan year if a full supply was already provided, or temporarily reducing supplies to 90 days during acute drug shortages. Additionally, insurance providers retain the ability to use standard drug management strategies to oversee how these medications are prescribed and dispensed.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the New Jersey child tax credit for families with children under six years old and to expand eligibility to include children aged six through 11. Under the new provisions, taxpayers with an income of $30,000 or less would receive a $2,000 credit for each child under six, while those with children aged six to 11 would receive a $1,000 credit, with amounts gradually decreasing as income rises to $80,000. The legislation also sets a maximum total credit limit of $2,500 per taxpayer and clarifies that the credit is refundable if it exceeds the tax owed. These changes would apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, for resident New Jersey taxpayers.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires hospitals to obtain a state certificate of need before selling or leasing their property to real estate investment trusts, ensuring such deals do not jeopardize public health or the hospital's financial stability. The legislation mandates that these transactions use a standardized contract form developed by the Department of Health, which includes clauses allowing buyers to reclaim funds if performance targets are missed, giving priority to lessees in future sales, and permitting reduced rent during financial hardships. Additionally, the bill requires hospital owners to submit annual financial statements to the Department of Health regarding costs associated with these agreements.
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires pharmacy benefits managers to be paid only a flat, itemized service fee rather than commissions tied to drug prices or sales volume. The law directly affects insurance carriers, pharmacy benefits managers, and the state's Department of Banking and Insurance by mandating that compensation reflect the fair market value of actual services provided. Under the new rules, managers cannot receive fees based on drug costs, rebates, or the number of prescriptions filled, and carriers must submit detailed documentation to verify these payments. The legislation aims to ensure that administrative fees are transparent and not passed on to patients through inflated drug pricing.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new, independent New Jersey Human Rights Commission to regularly review the state's human rights situation and develop public standards for government contracts. The commission will be made up of ten public members representing various communities, along with two senators and two assembly members, with appointments distributed among the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the General Assembly. It also authorizes New Jersey to join an interstate compact that allows states to participate in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review process, even though the federal government has chosen not to engage in that international review.