Sen. John Burzichelli

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create and distribute educational materials about cardiomyopathy and related heart conditions that can cause sudden cardiac arrest in children and young adults. The materials will cover symptoms, risk factors, AED placement guidelines, CPR training, and emergency response plans for schools and families. The DOH must develop a public cardiomyopathy risk assessment tool and submit annual reports on the condition's prevalence and healthcare impact. The bill appropriates $300,000 from the state general fund to implement these provisions, targeting schools, healthcare providers, and families.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) of the Office of Administrative Law within the Department of State to enroll in the Workers Compensation Judges Part of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) instead of the current Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP). It mandates that ALJs currently enrolled in the DCRP be transferred to the Workers Compensation and Administrative Law Judges Part of PERS within 90 days of the bill's effective date, while those already in PERS will be moved into this specific part of the system. The bill also specifies that the unfunded liability for benefits provided by this transfer will be paid by appropriations from the State General Fund. This change makes PERS enrollment a condition of employment for ALJs, aligning their retirement system with that of Workers' Compensation Judges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors and subcontractors working on public projects covered by New Jersey's prevailing wage law to hold a mandatory orientation meeting for each new employee on their first day of work. The meeting must explain the employee's wages and job classification under the prevailing wage law, and the employee must sign a form confirming they received the information. Contractors must retain these signed forms for at least five years and provide them to the Department of Labor upon request. The law aims to ensure new employees understand their wage rights from the start of their employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new retail facilities and warehouses larger than 75,000 square feet to be designed with roofs capable of supporting solar panels. Specifically, the roof structure must accommodate the weight of solar systems covering at least 40% of the roof area (minus certain features like skylights), regardless of panel type or whether the system is for commercial or residential use. Developers of these large buildings must comply with this solar-ready design standard for projects where construction permits are not yet finalized before the bill's effective date. The Department of Community Affairs will establish detailed implementation rules based on existing energy codes.

Maddy summaryS 3588 waives the 15-day waiting period for medical aid in dying when a patient is not expected to survive 15 days, based on reasonable medical certainty. This affects terminally ill patients in New Jersey who are nearing the end of life, allowing them to access medication without the standard 15-day delay. The bill retains a 48-hour waiting period between the written request and prescription issuance. Physicians must document the medical basis for the waiver, but other requirements like two oral requests and informed consent remain unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the interchange between State Highway Route 42 and Interstate Route 295 as the "Ensign John R. Elliott Memorial Interchange" to honor Ensign John R. Elliott, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate killed in a 2000 drunk driving accident. The bill requires that private funding - not public funds - be used for producing, erecting, and maintaining signs bearing this designation, with the New Jersey Department of Transportation authorized to accept gifts or grants from private entities for this purpose.

Maddy summaryThe bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $53,883,706 in low-interest loans for 14 specific transportation infrastructure projects in Fiscal Year 2025. These projects include bridge replacements, road improvements, and pedestrian safety initiatives in cities and counties across New Jersey, such as Bayonne's E. 25th Street Pedestrian Bridge Replacement and Atlantic County's Rte. 629 Pedestrian & Traffic Signal Improvement Project. The loans will be provided to local government units (municipalities and counties) and can be repaid over up to 31 years, with interest rates tied to the bank's bond rates. The program expires on July 1, 2025, and is limited to the specific projects outlined in the legislation.

Maddy summaryS 3384 appropriates funds to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide zero-interest loans and principal forgiveness for environmental infrastructure projects. The bill authorizes the DEP to make loans to local governments and public water utilities for clean water and drinking water projects, with specific funding limits including $20 million for combined sewer overflow projects and $10 million for water quality restoration. Funds will come from state revolving funds, federal grants from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and unexpended balances from previous programs, with projects requiring repayment within 30-45 years. The bill's funding authorization expires on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to provide up to $53.88 million in low-interest loans for transportation infrastructure projects during Fiscal Year 2025. The funds will support 14 specific projects across New Jersey, including bridge replacements, road improvements, and pedestrian infrastructure in municipalities like Bayonne, Essex County, Hoboken, and others. Local government units (counties and municipalities) that meet eligibility requirements can apply for these loans, which must be repaid within 31 years. The bill also establishes procedures for the bank to cover costs like loan origination fees and interest through the loan repayment process.

Maddy summaryS 3510 reduces the minimum number of annual thoroughbred races required at Monmouth Park and Meadowlands Racetrack from 50 to 25, pending written consent from the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. It also modifies simulcasting facility rules to allow them to accept future wagers on races without receiving a simulcast transmission when open to the public. Additionally, the bill shortens the time for unclaimed cash vouchers from three years to one year, after which the value is split equally between the facility and the purse account. These changes directly affect racetracks, simulcasting operators, and horse racing associations in New Jersey.