Asm. Sean Kean

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4408) creates a new first-degree crime of "home invasion" for entering a residence with intent to commit certain serious crimes (like robbery, violent offenses, or sexual crimes) when others are present, using force, threats, or being armed with a weapon. It upgrades residential burglary to a second-degree crime if someone enters a home where a resident or other person is present, regardless of whether the offender knew others were there. The bill also requires juveniles accused of home invasion or carjacking to be tried in the county where the alleged incident occurred, rather than their home county. These changes apply to both adult and juvenile cases involving these specific offenses.

Maddy summaryThe bill would broaden veterans' benefits eligibility by removing specific war or conflict service requirements. Instead of needing to have served during designated wars (like World War II or Vietnam), veterans would only need at least 90 days of active duty service (excluding basic training), or Reserve members would need to serve the full period called to active duty. Veterans discharged due to service-connected disabilities would qualify regardless of service duration. This change would expand access to benefits including civil service hiring preference, retirement allowances, and the ability to purchase military service credit for retirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill, "New Jersey Right to Home Defense Law" (A4242), modifies New Jersey's self-defense laws to strengthen protections for homeowners. It creates a legal presumption that a person in their home reasonably fears death or serious harm during certain intrusions - such as unlawful forced entry, attempted removal of occupants, or ongoing forcible acts - and thus has no duty to retreat before using force, including deadly force. The law grants immunity from criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits for justified force, and requires courts to award legal fees and expenses if a homeowner is wrongly sued. It directly affects residents facing home intruders by clarifying when force is legally justified without requiring retreat.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) to create a policy for using instant replay in playoff basketball tournaments. The policy must mandate official video and audio recordings of all playoff games to review game clock decisions, and it permits each head coach to challenge up to two clock-related decisions per game. The NJSIAA must adopt this policy before the first full school year following the bill's enactment. This directly affects high school basketball teams, coaches, and officials participating in NJSIAA playoff tournaments.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill restricts disclosure of law enforcement body camera recordings obtained through public records requests. It requires written consent from all direct participants (such as victims, suspects, or detainees) before sharing such recordings, except for legitimate public health/safety purposes or compelling public interest. Violators face a disorderly persons offense and must pay at least $1,000 per violation in civil damages, plus potential attorney fees. The law aims to protect individuals featured in recordings from exploitation while preserving public access to records.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A4103) expands eligibility for New Jersey's disability parking permits to include individuals diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or Crohn's disease, as certified by specific licensed medical professionals. It amends existing law to add these conditions to the definition of "person with a disability" for parking purposes, allowing affected individuals to obtain disability license plates, identification cards, and placards. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents with these chronic digestive conditions who experience mobility challenges or urgent restroom needs during flare-ups. Certification must come from a physician with a plenary license, military physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner licensed in New Jersey or a bordering state. The bill was introduced in the Assembly on April 4, 2024, and referred to the Transportation Committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for optometrists in New Jersey by allowing them to prescribe more pharmaceutical agents (including some controlled substances), administer certain immunizations (for coronaviruses, influenza, and varicella-zoster virus), and perform simple ophthalmologic procedures like non-invasive laser treatments. It clarifies that optometrists must complete specific training and credentialing to provide these expanded services, including evidence of competence through accredited education programs. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in New Jersey and their patients, who will have access to a broader range of eye care services from optometrists. The legislation updates the legal definition of optometry practice to better align with optometrists' doctoral education and clinical training.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey hospitals providing maternity services and licensed birthing centers to offer parents or guardians of newborns the opportunity to view a video approved by the State Health Commissioner about infant and young child drowning risks. The Department of Health must maintain a list of approved videos with online links. It directly affects parents of newborns in these facilities, making the video information available during the postpartum period. The requirement takes effect 120 days after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryBill A3798 eliminates New Jersey's census-based method for funding special education services, replacing it with a system that calculates aid based on the actual number of special education students in each district. Currently, districts receive special education aid based on an assumed percentage of students needing services, rather than the actual count of students requiring special education. The bill changes this by requiring the State to use each district's actual special education student enrollment to determine funding amounts. This policy change affects all school districts in New Jersey that receive special education aid under the School Funding Reform Act of 2008. The change aims to provide more accurate funding that better reflects each district's actual special education needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to add water safety instruction to health education for students in grades K-12, as part of existing curriculum standards. It specifically mandates teaching students about rip tides, beach safety practices (especially for those not near coastlines), distress hand signals, and lifeguard sightline limitations. The instruction must be integrated into the standard health curriculum, affecting every public school student statewide. The requirement takes effect for the first full school year following the bill's enactment.