Sen. John McKeon

Maddy summaryThis bill (A5049) removes a current restriction that allows the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members if they are involved in pending civil lawsuits related to their employment. It specifically prohibits the PFRS Board from delaying benefits due to such civil litigation, though it maintains the ability to withhold benefits for members facing criminal charges or administrative dismissal. The bill requires the Board to adjust benefits after any legal case concludes, rather than holding payments indefinitely during litigation. This change directly affects current and future PFRS members who are involved in employment-related civil disputes.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 4873, the "Safe and Sustainable Transportation Act," sets specific targets to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) statewide. By 2035, it requires a 10% reduction in per capita VMT and a 3% reduction in total statewide VMT compared to 2019 levels; by 2050, the targets increase to 20% and 8.5% reductions, respectively. The bill creates a 11-member "Vehicle Miles Traveled Advisory Commission" with state agency representatives and Governor-appointed public members to track progress, review transportation plans, and submit annual reports with policy recommendations to the Governor and Legislature. The law aims to lower transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by complementing vehicle electrification efforts through reduced driving, improved urban planning, and expanded active transportation infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1151) requires all general and special hospitals to create and implement evidence-based protocols for early sepsis recognition and treatment. The protocols must cover both adult and pediatric patients, include screening processes, specific treatment guidelines with timeframes, infection source identification, and procedures for excluding inappropriate cases (like patients in palliative care). Hospitals must train relevant staff, submit protocols to the Department of Health for approval within 120 days of enactment, and annually report sepsis-related data for quality improvement and mortality rate tracking. The law aims to standardize care for sepsis - a leading cause of death in New Jersey - by ensuring hospitals follow current medical standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in New Jersey to raise public awareness about preventing water-related accidents and drownings. It encourages the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Health, to provide resources to schools for water safety education programs targeting students in kindergarten through fifth grade. These programs may include school presentations and activities, potentially in partnership with nonprofit organizations, during May. The bill does not mandate action but aims to promote water safety through educational initiatives in early grades.

Maddy summaryThe Travel Insurance Act (S 2783) establishes a regulatory framework for travel insurance in New Jersey, defining key terms and setting requirements for how travel insurance must be sold and marketed. It creates licensing requirements for travel insurance producers and retailers, mandates clear disclosure of coverage details to consumers, and specifies that travel insurance must be classified under inland marine or accident and health insurance. The bill requires travel retailers to provide detailed information about coverage, prohibits misleading marketing practices like marketing blanket insurance as "free," and sets rules for cancellations and refunds. This legislation directly affects travel insurance companies, travel retailers, and consumers purchasing travel insurance in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 3663 requires the Department of State to create a public "Reproductive Health Travel Advisory" for residents. The advisory will inform pregnant New Jersey residents about state laws restricting reproductive healthcare access in other U.S. states, using a color-coded system: Blue (full access), Yellow (restricted access), and Red (extreme restrictions risking health or legal consequences). The advisory must be published online and updated whenever other states change their reproductive healthcare laws. This bill directly affects pregnant New Jersey residents planning travel who may need emergency reproductive care.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 4293 requires data center owners or operators to submit annual reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) detailing their water and energy usage. The reports must include specific metrics like total energy consumption, water sources, energy efficiency calculations (such as power usage effectiveness), and waste heat reuse data. These reports will be published on the BPU's website within 30 days of receipt, promoting transparency about data center resource use. The bill directly affects all data centers operating in New Jersey, mandating standardized reporting to track environmental impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all members (regular and alternate) of New Jersey's historic preservation commissions to complete a mandatory 5-hour historic preservation planning course within 18 months of joining or after the course becomes available. The course, developed by the Department of Community Affairs with input from the New Jersey Historic Trust and State Historic Preservation Office, must be completed within one day. Certain professionals, such as licensed planners or those with equivalent prior training, are exempt from this requirement. The law applies to all 300+ historic preservation commissions across New Jersey municipalities, aiming to ensure commission members have foundational knowledge for preserving the state's built heritage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to include instruction about the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Social Studies and English Language Arts curricula for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that school boards integrate this content as part of their existing implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The Commissioner of Education must provide sample lesson resources and activities to support schools, developed with input from the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThe "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act" (S 3309) requires used car dealers to check for open recalls on vehicles before sale using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and provide prospective buyers with printed recall information if any are found. Dealers cannot sell vehicles subject to stop-sale or do-not-drive notices issued by NHTSA. The bill mandates dealers to report vehicles with unresolved recalls (for which repairs remain uncompleted six months after initial notice) to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission every 180 days, prompting the Commission to send notices directly to vehicle owners. For vehicles with unavailable parts for recalls, dealers receive monthly compensation equal to 1.75% of the vehicle's value until repairs are completed.