Sen. Vin Gopal

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state program to permanently restrict development on qualifying privately-owned woodlands through easement acquisitions. Landowners with woodlands meeting specific criteria (minimum 20 acres, used for agriculture/forest products, or managed under approved stewardship plans) can participate. The State Agriculture Development Committee will administer the program using existing farmland preservation funds and seek federal programs like the Forest Legacy Program, with easements recorded similarly to property deeds. The goal is to preserve forested lands for agricultural, silvicultural, and conservation purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school staff (including those in after-school programs) to complete epilepsy and seizure disorder care training every five years. It directly affects school boards, administrators, and all school personnel who interact with students. The key provision mandates that training must be provided through a Department of Health-approved course from a nonprofit epilepsy support organization. This ensures staff can recognize seizures, provide appropriate care, and know when to seek help, as outlined in individualized health plans developed with parent input and physician guidance. The law applies to all schools in the state and takes effect at the start of the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to include age-appropriate instruction about fentanyl and xylazine dangers in health classes for students in grades 6 through 12. The curriculum must cover prevention, symptoms of poisoning, emergency response, and legal protections for seeking help, using resources from federal agencies like the CDC and DEA. School districts must provide this instruction as part of existing health education standards, with the state education commissioner supplying approved materials and maintaining online resources for staff and parents. Annual reports will evaluate the program's effectiveness in reducing youth drug poisoning. The bill directly affects all New Jersey public schools and their students in grades 6-12.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies eligibility rules for New Jersey's State small business set-aside program, which helps direct state government contracts to small businesses. It specifies that employee count requirements apply only to businesses without a federal revenue standard (13 CFR §121.201), and changes how gross revenue is calculated: businesses must now use a 5-year average (instead of 3 years) of revenue history for eligibility. This directly affects businesses seeking state contracts under the program, requiring updated revenue reporting. The changes update the existing Set-Aside Act (P.L.1983, c.482) and supersede certain existing regulations.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2051 requires law enforcement officers to conduct a risk assessment for domestic violence victims who agree to participate. Officers must use the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) tool, gathering details on recent incidents, injuries, and weapon use. If the assessment indicates elevated risk of serious harm, officers must inform the victim and, with consent, connect them to crisis services or charge the suspect. The bill directly affects domestic violence victims (through consent-based assessments) and law enforcement officers (through mandated training and procedures).

Maddy summaryThis bill revises New Jersey's child labor laws for minors working in theatrical productions by establishing age-based daily work hour limits (e.g., 6-8 year-olds up to 6 hours per day, 16-17 year-olds up to 8 hours on set). It requires employers to provide three hours of daily schooling for minors through a tutor, with additional hours allowed under specific conditions that count toward the requirement. The bill creates a separate registration system for theatrical permits, allowing one parent/guardian account to cover multiple employers and productions for up to one year. Additionally, it permits minors to work between 5:00 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. on days not preceding a school day.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create a special pricing structure (tariff) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariff must prevent regular residential and business customers (non-data center ratepayers) from facing higher electricity costs due to data centers' increased energy demand. It also mandates that the pricing structure encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, such as by using waste heat from their operations. Utilities must implement this tariff for all data centers in their service area one year after the bill becomes law, with the Board of Public Utilities overseeing approval. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all source plasma donation centers operating in New Jersey to obtain an annual license from the Department of Health. Existing centers pay a $25 initial fee, while new centers pay higher renewal fees, with all income funding the Department's oversight. Centers must follow safety rules based on federal standards for donor screening and plasma collection, and the Department can inspect facilities, suspend licenses for safety violations, or impose fines up to $5,000 for repeated offenses. The law directly affects plasma donation centers and their operations, ensuring standardized safety practices for donors and the community.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create special pricing rules (tariffs) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariffs must protect regular electricity customers (non-data center ratepayers) from cost increases caused by data centers' high energy use. Utilities must also design tariffs to encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using technologies that capture and reuse waste heat. The Board of Public Utilities will review and approve these tariffs, and utilities must implement them for all data centers in their service area one year after the law passes.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the minimum percentage of funds that municipal tourist development commissions must spend on advertising outside their municipality from 50% to 20%. It directly affects these commissions in New Jersey municipalities, which use local tourism revenue to promote visitor attraction. The bill also clarifies that "advertising outside the municipality" includes any ads targeting people who work or live outside the area, even if the same ad reaches local residents. This change simplifies compliance while maintaining the core goal of attracting tourists from outside the community.