Sen. Joe Lagana

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new flooring installations in schools (K-12 public or private) and licensed child care centers to be certified mercury-free before construction permits are issued. Manufacturers must provide certification confirming materials contain no mercury, and falsely claiming mercury-free status carries fines of $10,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for repeat violations. The law applies to all new construction, reconstruction, repair, or upgrades of flooring in these facilities. It takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1474) requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prioritize funding for two types of projects: 1) land acquisition for recreation and conservation, and 2) environmental infrastructure projects that include flood mitigation. It specifically mandates that the DEP’s Office of Green Acres must give higher priority to projects protecting floodplains, flood-prone areas, or lands damaged by storms. This change modifies existing funding criteria under the Green Acres Program (P.L.1999, c.152) to explicitly include flood risk reduction as a key factor. The bill affects how local governments and nonprofits apply for and receive state funding for land conservation and infrastructure projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey automobile insurers to reimburse ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) for unlisted services at 300% of the Medicare Part B payment rate for those services, provided they meet Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines. It specifically applies to ASCs providing services not already listed on the state’s medical fee schedule. Unlisted medical supplies used with these services must be reimbursed at invoice cost plus 20%. The policy change directly affects ASCs and insurers by establishing a new reimbursement standard for previously uncovered procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1491) reinstates automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits paid to members of New Jersey's state-administered retirement systems. It directly affects current and future retirees in these systems by ensuring their benefits automatically increase each year to match inflation, without requiring new legislative action each time. The key mechanism is restoring a provision that had been removed, so benefits rise automatically based on the Consumer Price Index rather than relying on annual budget decisions. This change provides predictable income stability for retirees as living costs change. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a program to fund mental health services for New Jersey veterans through grants awarded to eligible veterans' organizations. It requires these organizations to contract with licensed mental health professionals (such as psychologists or social workers) to provide services directly to veterans. The bill appropriates $2 million from the state's General Fund to support this initiative. Eligible recipients include tax-exempt veterans' groups (501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations) and specific entities like the New Jersey SOS Veterans Stakeholders Group.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 271) prohibits public utilities in New Jersey from disconnecting residential electric, gas, water, or sewer service due to nonpayment for 180 days after the end of the coronavirus public health emergency (March 9, 2020). Instead, utilities must offer residential customers deferred payment agreements allowing up to 48 months to repay past-due bills. The requirement applies to all residential customers except in cases of safety emergencies (e.g., hazardous conditions). This policy directly affects households struggling with utility bills during the post-pandemic transition period.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2250 increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services to match Medicare rates for the most commonly used medical billing codes in 2022, using $20 million in state funding. It directly affects primary care providers - including family doctors, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and midwives - who serve Medicaid patients in both fee-for-service and managed care systems. The bill requires the state to calculate rate increases so that the total annual cost equals $20 million combined with expected federal matching funds, without lowering current reimbursement rates. It also mandates a report within one year on how these changes impact access to care and service quality for Medicaid beneficiaries, including recommendations for underserved areas.

Maddy summaryS 111 requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Health to create a public awareness campaign focused on improving maternal and child health equity. The campaign will share hospital data on C-section rates and breastfeeding, promote birth plan documentation, and provide information on avoiding unnecessary interventions like early inductions. It will direct pregnant people and new parents to state health programs, family leave rights, and high-value care options (such as midwives and lactation support) through a new user-friendly website. The goal is to help individuals make informed choices about maternity care while coordinating with existing efforts to avoid duplication.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 58) provides property tax exemptions for New Jersey veterans with service-connected disabilities. It allows veterans with a 30% or higher disability rating (including specific conditions like blindness, amputations, or paralysis) to receive a tax exemption proportional to their disability percentage, up to 100%. Surviving spouses of eligible veterans or those who died in service also qualify for similar exemptions under defined conditions. Crucially, the bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 102% of the lost tax revenue from these exemptions, ensuring local governments aren’t financially burdened. The policy directly affects honorably discharged veterans with qualifying disabilities and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense for committing domestic violence while a child under 16 is present and the perpetrator knows the child is there. It applies when the child is a child of the perpetrator or victim (e.g., a parent, guardian, or resource family parent). The law requires separate criminal charges and sentences for both the underlying domestic violence act and this new offense, rather than merging the convictions. The severity of the new offense matches or exceeds the underlying crime’s level (e.g., a fourth-degree crime if the underlying act was minor). The bill is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee as of January 2024.