Sen. Joe Lagana

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-member School Safety and Security Task Force in New Jersey to study and recommend improvements for public school safety. The task force includes education officials, security experts, and public members with specialized knowledge, and will examine security practices like entrance screening, emergency response protocols, and accessibility for students with disabilities. It must issue final recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, and State Board of Education within six months of forming. The task force expires after submitting its report, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school districts to employ at least one full-time school psychologist at every school, with a maximum student-to-psychologist ratio of 500:1 per school. It directly affects all public school districts in New Jersey by mandating minimum staffing levels for school psychologists. The law takes effect immediately for the next full school year following enactment, and districts must apply for available federal funding to support implementation. The policy aims to align with national recommendations for school psychological services accessibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies in New Jersey to cover lead screenings for all children 16 years of age or younger. It mandates that healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, and facilities serving children) perform these screenings unless a parent or guardian objects in writing, and requires them to notify families about elevated lead levels. The Department of Health must establish specific screening schedules, response protocols for high lead levels (based on CDC guidelines), and public education campaigns to inform parents and providers. The law applies directly to insurers, healthcare providers, and families with children under 16, ensuring screenings are covered without additional cost to families.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools (a type of charter school) that employ school psychologists to offer remote counseling sessions as an option for students in grades K-12. It mandates that schools must permit virtual sessions unless a school psychologist determines in-person counseling is necessary for a student's well-being. Students are not forced to use remote sessions and may continue attending in-person meetings if preferred. The law applies to schools already providing in-person psychological services and takes effect for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 1468) prohibits public school districts from holding classes on election days when their schools serve as polling places. It directly affects school districts using public schools as voting locations, requiring them to cancel classes that day. Instead, districts may use the time for staff in-service training or professional development. The law aims to enhance student safety by reducing public access to school grounds during elections, as stated in the bill's purpose. It takes immediate effect and applies to all subsequent elections, including the November 2021 general election as referenced in the text.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide public boat access to State-owned lakes where boats are permitted, within two years of enactment. It mandates the DEP to build access points, contract with private marinas (via public bidding), or take other actions to enable public boating. The bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund specifically for this purpose. If access cannot be provided due to funding shortages, the DEP must report the affected lakes and required funding to the Governor and Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and certain state facilities (including developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals) in New Jersey. It requires specific ratios, such as 1 nurse per 5 medical/surgical patients, 1 per 2 in emergency critical care, and 1 per 1 in burn units. Facilities must implement acuity-based staffing systems that exceed these minimums, considering patient needs and staff skills, while maintaining nurse float pools. The regulations cannot reduce existing staffing levels and apply to all patient units covered by the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's first comprehensive regulations for kratom products. It requires retailers to label products with specific alkaloid content (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine), bans sales of kratom contaminated with dangerous substances or synthetic compounds, and prohibits sales to anyone under 21. Retailers must verify age using ID scans at point-of-sale and display a required warning sign. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $1,000 per offense. The law directly affects kratom retailers and consumers by setting safety standards and age restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1.3 billion in federal funds (from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund or other pandemic-related federal sources) to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for lead service line replacement projects. It directly affects water suppliers across New Jersey, requiring most to provide matching funds for pipe replacements while exempting small suppliers (serving ≤3,300 connections) from upfront matching requirements. Key mechanisms include using the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program, enabling the Infrastructure Bank to provide low-interest loans for projects, and defining "lead service lines" to include galvanized pipes. The funds must be used specifically for replacing lead pipes connecting water mains to buildings, with administrative costs capped at 1% of allocated funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey licensing boards for professions (like nursing or engineering) to collect data on how long other states take to approve initial credentials. They must calculate a national average processing time for each profession and use that as the standard deadline for approving applications in New Jersey. If a board misses the target average, it must use licensing fees to hire outside experts to identify improvements, with a follow-up review six months later. The boards must complete this data collection within six months of the bill's effective date, with annual accuracy checks thereafter.