Rep. John Allen

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly prohibit housing and employment discrimination based on "source of lawful income." It defines "source of lawful income" to include public assistance, housing vouchers (like Section 8), disability benefits, veterans' benefits, child support, alimony, and other lawful payment methods. The law now makes it illegal for landlords to refuse rental payments based on the source of income, and for employers to discriminate against applicants or employees based on how their income is earned. This directly affects tenants and job seekers who rely on non-traditional income sources, particularly those using public assistance programs or housing vouchers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4374) makes two specific violations of New Jersey's Prevailing Wage Act criminal offenses. It targets employers who knowingly falsify payroll records for public construction projects or submit false information on contractor registration forms. Currently, these violations result in fines up to $25,000 and disqualification from public work; the bill upgrades them to a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to $10,000 in fines, 18 months in jail, or both. The law applies directly to employers working on state or local public construction projects requiring prevailing wage compliance.

Maddy summaryS 2961 requires contractors working on New Jersey public works projects (funded by public money) to certify that each employee meets one of three minimum qualifications: a high school diploma or GED, enrollment in an equivalent apprenticeship program, or four years of documented trade work experience verified by tax filings. Contractors must submit this certification as part of their registration with the state, alongside other required documentation like business details and insurance proof. Non-compliance could lead to denial, suspension, or revocation of the contractor’s public works registration. The bill directly affects contractors bidding on public projects and the workers they employ on those projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts health care professionals licensed in foreign nations from New Jersey's standard licensing requirements when providing medical services exclusively to athletes or team personnel affiliated with international teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The exemption applies only during the tournament period (June 1-July 31, 2026), covering services related to training and events leading up to and during the World Cup (June 11-July 19, 2026). It does not affect licensing for general practice in New Jersey or services outside this specific event. The policy aims to streamline medical support for participating teams without altering permanent licensing standards.

Maddy summaryThe "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey" requires all voting policies to be interpreted in ways that maximize voting access for all eligible voters, particularly members of racial, color, and language-minority groups. It prohibits voting practices that burden protected class members and mandates language assistance for limited English proficient voters. The bill creates a preclearance process for voting changes in jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations and establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain public voting data. These provisions aim to ensure equitable access to voting and protect against voter suppression and vote dilution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish an Alzheimer's disease public awareness and education program. The program must develop public campaigns about symptoms, early detection, and safety; create accessible educational materials for health providers; and train emergency responders, judicial staff, and social services personnel. DHS must consult with the Alzheimer's Association and make materials available online in English and Spanish. The initiative is subject to available funding and aims to improve community understanding and response to Alzheimer's disease.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill requires health insurance plans and Medicaid programs to cover prescription drugs for specific serious mental illnesses without prior authorization or step therapy protocols. It defines "serious mental illness" to include conditions like bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, and other disorders listed in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The legislation applies to all health insurance carriers in New Jersey, mandating coverage for these medications without utilization management barriers that often delay treatment. This would directly affect individuals with these mental health conditions who currently face insurance hurdles to accessing necessary medications.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey municipalities to submit quarterly data on affordable housing and senior citizen housing units to the Department of Community Affairs. The information includes building addresses, management contacts, application status, and online application links. This data will be published on state government websites (Community Affairs, Housing Finance Agency, and Housing Resource Center) and linked from municipal websites. The bill directly affects local governments by mandating data reporting and aims to make housing availability information more accessible to the public. It does not change housing eligibility or funding but creates a centralized public resource.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3041 prohibits cooperatives from receiving public works contracts if any member contractor or subcontractor within the cooperative has failed to pay prevailing wages. The bill extends a three-year ban (currently applied to individual contractors) to cover entire cooperatives, meaning a cooperative cannot win contracts if one of its members violates wage laws. It defines a "cooperative" as a business with collective ownership and long-term member control, and includes a process for affected cooperatives to request a hearing if they believe the ban is wrongly applied. The prohibition applies to all cooperative entities with a member on the prevailing wage violation list, lasting three years from the date of listing.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Patient and Provider Protection Act," imposes new requirements on pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) in New Jersey. It requires PBMs to have a fiduciary duty to patient health outcomes, prohibits misleading marketing to steer patients to network pharmacies, and bans contracts with drug manufacturers that condition rebates on excluding generic drugs. PBMs must reimburse contracted pharmacies at cost or higher and independent pharmacies at no more than 5% less than contracted rates (but still at cost), and cannot block independent pharmacies from matching network prices. These changes directly affect PBMs, pharmacies (both contracted and independent), and patients covered by health plans using PBMs.