Asm. Sean Kean

Maddy summaryThis bill allows municipalities with surplus inactive liquor licenses to sell them to qualifying smart growth communities that lack sufficient licenses for new restaurants or bars. It creates a transfer process requiring approval from the Alcohol Beverage Control director, a contract between parties, and payment of a fee equal to 20 times the annual renewal fee. The fee is distributed 25% to the sending municipality, 25% to the ABC director, and 50% to existing license holders in the receiving municipality. Transferred licenses can only be used within the same real estate development project where the new business will operate, and the bill prohibits special concessionaire permits for eligible locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill would reduce New Jersey's gross income tax rates by 10% over three years, applying a 3.33% reduction each year for taxable years beginning in 2013, 2014, and 2015. It would affect all New Jersey residents who pay state income tax by lowering their tax liabilities across all income brackets. The bill amends N.J.S.54A:2-1 to implement these rate reductions, maintaining the full 10% reduction for future taxable years after 2015. The reduction applies to all filing statuses, including single filers, married couples filing jointly, and heads of household.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A648) requires all New Jersey public school districts to include water safety instruction in health education for students in grades K-12, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year. The instruction must cover four key topics: proper use of flotation devices, recognizing water conditions, responding to rip currents, and swimming near lifeguard-monitored areas. It directly affects every public school district and K-12 student in New Jersey by mandating this curriculum as part of existing health education standards. The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how unused funds in inactive online gambling accounts are handled in New Jersey. After three years of inactivity, any remaining money in these accounts will be treated as unclaimed property under state law, rather than being split 50/50 between the casino and the casino control fund as current law requires. Casinos must attempt to contact account holders via mail, phone, or email before closing dormant accounts. This directly affects online gambling players with inactive accounts and casino licensees managing those accounts. The policy change aligns dormant gaming funds with standard unclaimed property procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts counties from certain reporting and public hearing requirements when selling property they no longer need to specific local government entities. Under current law, counties must prepare a detailed report on environmental impacts and hold two public hearings before selling property. The bill removes these requirements for sales to municipalities, Type II school districts with directly elected boards, or other local units governed by elected officials. This change applies only to property sales not needed for county purposes, streamlining transactions with local governments.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's official definition of anti-Semitism based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition adopted in 2016. It requires state agencies, educational institutions, and others reviewing discrimination complaints to use this definition when determining if an act was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. The definition explicitly states that criticism of Israel similar to criticism of any other country does not constitute anti-Semitism. The bill clarifies it does not override First Amendment rights or existing state/federal anti-discrimination laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's Children's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (CVAERS) within the Department of Health. It requires healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and emergency staff) to report any side effects experienced by children under 19 within eight weeks of vaccination, regardless of whether the provider believes the vaccine caused the reaction. Reports must include child and provider details, vaccine information, and the adverse event, but identities remain confidential. The system will share anonymized data with federal vaccine safety programs (VAERS) when required, supporting vaccine safety monitoring without disclosing personal information.

Maddy summaryACR 43 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit most emergency orders, rules, or regulations issued by New Jersey's Governor to a 14-day period during a declared state of emergency. These measures would automatically terminate on the 15th day unless the Legislature passes a concurrent resolution extending the period. The amendment does not apply to orders rescinding previous emergency actions, those required by federal law, orders affecting only the executive branch, National Guard commands, or orders issued under other existing legal authorities that already allow longer durations. This change would shift oversight from the Governor to the Legislature for extending emergency powers beyond two weeks.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey municipalities to exclude certain insurance costs from annual budget and property tax levy limits for the first three years after it takes effect. Specifically, it exempts increases in liability, workers' compensation, cyber, and property insurance costs that exceed 2.0% of the previous year's expenses. Municipalities will be able to raise property taxes to cover these insurance costs without being constrained by the standard 2.5% budget increase limit. The bill directly affects local governments that must manage insurance expenses while operating within fiscal constraints. This change provides temporary flexibility for municipalities facing rising insurance costs.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A625) requires medical professionals to document all vaccines given to infants in the six months before an unexplained death (under age 3) and include this information in standard federal death investigation reports. It mandates the use of a specific CDC-provided SUIDI form for sudden infant death cases and directs the Child Fatality Review Board to study potential links between vaccination and infant fatalities/near fatalities. The board must identify cases where vaccination may have contributed to death, analyze patterns, and report findings within one year, including recommendations to reduce such incidents while maintaining public health protections. The law affects physicians, medical examiners, and the review board, focusing on data collection and analysis rather than making causal claims about vaccines.