Sen. Britnee Timberlake

Maddy summaryThis bill increases tax credit amounts for businesses and developers working on historic property rehabilitation and brownfield redevelopment projects in New Jersey. For historic properties in designated areas (qualified incentive tracts or government-restricted municipalities), the maximum credit rises to 60% of rehabilitation costs or $12 million (up from 45%/ $8 million). For brownfield remediation projects in similar areas, the credit increases to 80% of costs or $12 million (up from 60%/$8 million). The bill also allows up to 50% of available credits to be allocated specifically for facade rehabilitation projects, with a maximum $4 million credit per project.

Maddy summaryThe "Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act" prevents credit reporting agencies from including paid medical debt or medical debt under $500 in credit reports, regardless of when the debt was incurred. It prohibits medical creditors and debt collectors from reporting medical debt to credit agencies for services provided after the law takes effect. The bill requires a 180-day waiting period before collection actions can begin and mandates a 30-day notice with a clear payment deadline before starting collections. Additionally, it protects patients by prohibiting debt collection during pending insurance appeals and requiring credit bureaus to remove debt information if an appeal is pending or the debt is paid.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey school districts to enter into lease and purchase agreements for electric school buses with terms extending to the vehicles' service life (rather than the current 10-year maximum for fossil fuel buses). It authorizes the New Jersey School Boards Association to serve as a government aggregator to help school districts obtain electric school buses, charging infrastructure, and related maintenance services through competitive contracting. The bill specifically permits competitive contracting for electric school buses, on-site charging infrastructure, and related services, which were not previously explicitly included in the list of allowable specialized procurement. School districts can now use this approach for electric buses while maintaining the existing 10-year limit for fossil fuel buses.

Maddy summaryS 3479 increases tax credit amounts for businesses rehabilitating historic properties and cleaning up brownfield sites in New Jersey. For historic property rehabilitation, it raises the maximum credit to 60% of costs (or $12 million, whichever is less) for properties in disadvantaged areas, and 50% (or $8 million) for other properties. For brownfield cleanup, it increases credits to 80% of remediation costs (or $12 million) in disadvantaged areas, and 60% (or $8 million) for other projects. The bill also creates new eligibility for facade rehabilitation projects and modifies application requirements to better target economic development in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes two new benefit programs under New Jersey's Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) cash assistance program. It provides eligible participants with a $14 monthly benefit for menstrual hygiene products (tampons, pads, or cups) for individuals aged 18-50, and a $30 monthly benefit per child under 36 months for diaper products. Benefits are added to participants' existing WFNJ electronic cards on the same schedule as regular benefits, with unspent funds carrying over monthly. The $2.5 million appropriation funds these programs, which directly affect low-income WFNJ recipients and their dependent children.

Maddy summaryThe "Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act" (S 2806) prevents consumer reporting agencies from including paid medical debt or medical debt under $500 in credit reports, regardless of when the debt was incurred. It also prohibits medical creditors and debt collectors from reporting medical debt to credit bureaus for services provided after the bill takes effect. The bill requires a 180-day waiting period before collection actions can begin after the first bill is sent, and mandates a 30-day notice to patients before initiating collection efforts. Additionally, it protects patients during pending insurance appeals by banning collection communications and requiring removal of debt information from credit reports if an appeal is active or the debt is paid.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover abortion services without cost-sharing (such as deductibles, copays, or coinsurance) for all individuals in the state. It applies to all health insurance carriers, state health benefit programs, and Medicaid, with limited exceptions for religious employers who request exclusions based on religious beliefs. The bill also prohibits medical malpractice insurers from taking adverse actions against providers who offer legally protected reproductive health care services, even if the patient is from a state where those services are illegal. It defines "abortion" as medical treatment to terminate a pregnancy (including medication and aspiration methods) and aims to remove financial barriers to access, particularly benefiting low-income individuals and other groups facing disproportionate access challenges.

Maddy summaryS 2330 establishes a one-year pilot program providing two new benefits for participants in New Jersey's Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) cash assistance program, which supports low-income residents. It allocates $2.5 million to the Department of Human Services to distribute a $14 monthly benefit for menstrual hygiene products (e.g., tampons, pads, cups) to participants aged 18-50 who menstruate, and a $30 monthly benefit per child under 36 months for diaper products to parents in the program. Benefits are delivered via existing WFNJ electronic cards on the same schedule as standard benefits, with unspent funds rolling over to the next month for the same purpose. The bill defines eligible products and requires their exclusive use for the specified items.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey school districts to enter into longer-term contracts for electric school buses, extending lease and purchase terms to match the service life of the vehicles (instead of the current 10-year limit for fossil fuel buses). It specifically authorizes the New Jersey School Boards Association to serve as a government aggregator to help school districts obtain electric school buses and related charging infrastructure through competitive contracting. The bill amends existing school contracting laws to explicitly include electric school buses in the list of specialized equipment where competitive contracting can be used instead of public bidding. This change aims to support school districts in transitioning to electric fleets by making it easier to secure long-term contracts for these vehicles and infrastructure.

Maddy summaryS 3491 establishes legal protections for patients and healthcare providers accessing or providing reproductive health care (including abortion) and gender-affirming health care services in New Jersey. The bill defines "legally protected health care activity" as services lawful in New Jersey, regardless of where the patient resides, and creates criminal penalties for interfering with access to these services (such as obstructing facilities, intimidating patients, or recording individuals without consent). It also prohibits New Jersey from extraditing people for providing or seeking these services, protects patient privacy regarding these services, and specifies that fertilized eggs, embryos, or fetuses cannot have independent legal rights under New Jersey law. The bill applies to all individuals seeking or providing these services within New Jersey, including those traveling from states with restrictions on reproductive or gender-affirming care.