Sen. Joe Lagana

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1402) provides disability insurance coverage instead of disability retirement benefits for new members of New Jersey's Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who become disabled. It creates a special fund to pay for group disability insurance premiums, replacing the previous system. Covered members receive 60% of their base salary (minimum $50/month) if totally disabled for six+ months, with benefits ending at age 70 or when returning to work. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.370, meaning the policy changes are now law.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans most non-compete clauses in New Jersey employment contracts, directly affecting workers and employers. It prohibits employers from requiring, enforcing, or claiming that non-compete agreements apply to workers who are not senior executives (defined as those earning under $151,164 annually). Employers must notify affected workers within 30 days of the bill’s effective date that existing non-compete clauses cannot be enforced. The ban applies to all workers except senior executives, though these high-earning employees may still face non-compete terms under specific conditions. The bill also prohibits "no-poach agreements" between employers that restrict hiring.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program" to help at-risk high school students (those identified as likely to drop out) and recent dropouts earn their diplomas through county college coursework. Students complete high school requirements via college courses that count toward both their diploma and a college credential, with no tuition or fees for them or their families. The program requires school districts to partner with county colleges to create agreements specifying eligible courses, and the state provides job placement services after successful completion. It is fully funded by the state, including state aid for participating students' school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies New Jersey's child custody procedures to prioritize children's safety and well-being. It requires courts to consider a child's preferences when they are old enough to reason, mandates scientifically valid proof for court-ordered therapy (including restrictions on forcing therapy to reunite resistant children without consent), and demands detailed written justifications for custody decisions that override parental agreements or a child's expressed wishes. The law directly affects courts, parents, and children involved in contested custody cases by standardizing how decisions are made and documented. The bill was enacted as P.L.2025, c.316 and is now part of state law.

Maddy summaryS 1375 creates a Train the Trainer Program for Student Wellbeing within New Jersey's Department of Education, appropriating $1 million to fund it. The program trains educators to lead school-wide sessions on student behavioral and mental health, covering trauma-informed approaches, recognizing mental health challenges, restorative practices, and crisis de-escalation. Public school staff - not districts - voluntarily participate in the training, which uses evidence-based methods to improve school climate and student support. The program requires annual evaluations and a three-year effectiveness report to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1363) modifies New Jersey's property tax levy cap rules to allow local governments (towns, counties, etc.) to exclude certain flood insurance cost increases from their tax cap calculations. It specifically permits local units to exclude flood insurance premium increases exceeding 2% over prior year costs in the first year after federal flood map changes, or the full initial cost if they lacked flood insurance before the change. For years 2-4 following map changes, the exclusion applies to premiums exceeding 2% regardless of prior coverage. The exclusion expires after four years and does not apply to other tax-related costs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1358) requires hospitals treating breast cancer patients to provide written notice about their right to choose any board-certified plastic surgeon for reconstructive surgery - regardless of hospital or insurance network affiliation - along with coverage details under state and federal law. The notice must be given when the diagnosis is confirmed, before surgery consent is obtained. It also prohibits health insurance contracts from blocking doctors from recommending outside surgeons and prevents insurers from denying coverage based solely on a surgeon’s network status. The bill directly affects breast cancer patients, hospitals, and health insurance carriers, focusing on expanding access to reconstructive care options.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's official general election and primary election sample ballots to include a clear watermark identifying them as non-voting samples. It mandates that these ballots be printed on differently colored paper and display specific large-font text at the top stating, "This ballot cannot be voted. It is a sample copy..." (for general elections) or similar language (for primaries). The law directly affects county election officials who prepare and distribute these ballots, ensuring voters cannot accidentally submit them as actual votes. The key change is standardizing visual and textual identifiers to prevent confusion between sample ballots and official voting ballots.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1399, "Clinical Laboratory Services Reimbursement and Vulnerable Patient Discount Act") permits clinical laboratories to offer discounts to patients facing financial hardship without reducing NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rates or violating anti-rebate rules. It directly affects labs serving vulnerable populations - including uninsured, homeless, or low-income patients seeking services like drug testing for substance use disorder treatment - by allowing them to discount charges based on documented financial hardship (e.g., income below 200% of federal poverty level). Key provisions require labs to maintain NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rates at the lower of the fee schedule or their standard public charge, while discounts to vulnerable patients must align with federal anti-rebate rules. The bill aims to prevent labs from ceasing discounted services due to prior enforcement risks under NJ FamilyCare regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill equalizes retirement benefits for New Jersey teachers by removing tiered membership in the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). It moves all current non-retired TPAF members to the same benefit tier as those who joined before July 2007, and requires enrollment of public school employees meeting salary but not hour requirements. Educators in the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) can automatically transfer service credit to TPAF (without transferring contributions), with an opt-out option within six months. It also expands disability retirement eligibility for current long-term disability recipients, requiring applications within two years of enactment.