Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $5 million microloan program through New Jersey's Economic Development Authority to support eligible businesses in designated Urban Enterprise Zones (UEZs) or UEZ-impacted districts. Qualified businesses must be independently owned, operate primarily in New Jersey, create at least five full-time jobs (with 50% local residents), and demonstrate financial need for operational or capital expenses. Loans offer low interest (up to 3%, 0% for veteran-owned businesses) with flexible terms, including potential partial forgiveness if the business fails after a good-faith effort. Funds will come from a dedicated revolving loan fund replenished by repayments, aiming to stimulate economic activity in designated distressed areas.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 2479) allows parents or legal guardians to place a security freeze on a child's credit report. It directly affects minors under 18 (defined as "protected consumers") by giving their parents/guardians control over their credit information. The key provision requires credit reporting agencies to place a freeze within 5 business days of a written request from a parent/guardian, with agencies creating a new record for the child if none exists. The freeze prevents the agency from sharing the child's credit report without the parent/guardian's permission, though it doesn't stop the agency from notifying third parties that a freeze is active.
Maddy summaryS 1174 prohibits electric and gas utilities from charging residential customers in budget billing plans for service during interruptions caused by major emergency events (like storms, floods, or declared disasters) until service is restored. It directly affects residential utility customers enrolled in fixed-rate budget billing plans who experience service outages due to qualifying emergencies. The bill requires the Board of Public Utilities to enforce this prohibition, though utilities may still collect payments for service used *before* the emergency began. This policy change ensures customers aren't billed for service they couldn't use during disaster-related outages.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide senior citizens telephone chat-line in New Jersey, connecting adults aged 60+ (or their family/guardians) with trained volunteers for weekly emotional support calls. Seniors register with details about their interests and preferred call times, while volunteers (18+) provide similar information to enable matching based on shared hobbies and location. The program requires the Division of Aging Services to maintain strict confidentiality of all participant information and call content. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summaryS 2478 requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to create two dedicated websites promoting enrollment in Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs. One website will be in English, listing health navigators and community centers that assist with health insurance enrollment, including the languages spoken at each location. A second website will provide identical content entirely in Spanish with a Spanish-language domain name to improve access for Spanish-speaking residents. This bill directly affects New Jersey residents, particularly those with limited English proficiency, by making health care enrollment resources more accessible and culturally responsive.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to create a free, statewide online tool (a "child care finder") to help families locate licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers. The tool must display location, hours, program types, fees, enrollment status, and subsidy eligibility, with secure access and accessibility compliance. It directly affects families seeking child care, licensed providers (including centers and home-based providers), and DCF by mandating a unified system for finding and enrolling children. The bill appropriates $3.6 million for development and requires the system to launch statewide within one year of vendor selection.
Maddy summaryS 2783 expands Daniel's Law protections to cover judicial officers, law enforcement personnel, child protective investigators, state legislators, and their immediate family members living in the same household. It requires New Jersey's Office of Information Privacy to create a portal where these individuals can request private entities (like websites or businesses) to stop publishing their home addresses or unpublished phone numbers online. Private entities must comply within 45 business days or face criminal penalties (up to a third-degree crime for intentional violations). The law exempts news media from liability for past publications and directory services if the individual requested removal before deadlines.
Maddy summaryS 855, "Michelle's Law," requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover mammograms when recommended by a healthcare provider. It mandates coverage for a baseline mammogram at age 40, annual mammograms for women 40 and older, and mammograms for women under 40 with specific risk factors (like family history or dense breast tissue) as determined by their doctor. The law also requires coverage for additional tests like ultrasounds or MRIs after a mammogram if medically necessary due to breast density, abnormal results, or other risk factors. Insurance companies may review the medical necessity of these additional tests but cannot deny coverage for recommended screenings. This applies to all group and individual health insurance plans sold in New Jersey.
Maddy summarySJR 25 designates March 16 each year as "Paws Healing Heroes Day" in New Jersey to recognize service dogs that assist veterans with conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and seizure disorders. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about the role of service dogs in supporting veterans, noting that 29% of veterans from recent conflicts may experience PTSD and 28% may experience TBI. It does not create new funding or policy changes but encourages the Governor to issue an annual proclamation and urges public observance. This commemorative resolution directly affects veterans using service dogs and the nonprofit organizations that train them, such as Paws Healing Heroes in Glassboro.
Maddy summaryThis bill, S 2753, would expand New Jersey’s NJ FamilyCare health coverage program to include pregnant undocumented immigrants and their dependent children under age one. Pregnant undocumented immigrants would receive full coverage through the 60 days following their pregnancy, and their children would qualify for coverage until age one - bypassing current rules that limit undocumented immigrants to emergency-only care. The bill requires the state to first seek federal funding for this coverage, and if federal funds aren’t approved, it would rely on state funds. It explicitly states coverage would only be provided in compliance with federal law, defining "undocumented immigrant" as someone unable to verify legal status or lawful presence in the U.S.