Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Division of Travel and Tourism to create and maintain a public website listing all state historic sites, districts, and roadside markers. The website must include searchable maps, driving directions (from all compass points), photos, tour details, contact information for site owners, and links to local historical programs. It will be updated whenever new sites are added by state agencies like the Department of Environmental Protection or Department of Transportation. This directly benefits tourists, historians, and local communities by centralizing access to historic resource information in one accessible online platform.

Maddy summaryS 1838 codifies New Jersey's "Bringing Veterans Home Initiative" to provide safe housing for unhoused veterans. It directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs (with the Department of Veterans Affairs) to create six regional hubs, establish a standardized referral form, and use data to target housing assistance. The bill connects veterans to existing programs like the Homeless Prevention Program and Work First NJ benefits to accelerate housing placements. This initiative directly affects homeless veterans statewide by streamlining access to housing support through coordinated state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires school bus drivers, aides, and personnel to call 911 during potential life-threatening emergencies involving students. It also mandates that school buses transporting students with disabilities be equipped with specific safety features (though the exact features are not detailed in the provided text). The bill updates training requirements to include recognizing life-threatening emergencies and proper procedures for students with disabilities, requiring twice-yearly training and certification for all personnel. These changes apply to school bus contractors and school districts in New Jersey, with implementation tied to a pending training program update. The bill includes funding (an appropriation) for these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2565) expands access to closed-circuit television testimony for victims and witnesses specifically in human trafficking cases. It allows courts to order such testimony after finding clear evidence that testifying in person would cause severe emotional distress, with safeguards ensuring the victim/witness testifies under oath, faces cross-examination, and their demeanor remains observable. The law permits victims, prosecutors, defendants, or judges to request this testimony, and includes special confidentiality rules for minors (under 18) regarding audio recordings of their testimony. This directly affects human trafficking victims and witnesses in New Jersey criminal trials, making it easier for them to participate without facing traumatic in-person courtroom settings.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill eliminates time limits for prosecuting human trafficking crimes, allowing criminal charges to be filed at any time. For civil cases where victims sue traffickers, it extends the filing deadline to 10 years after the crime occurred, or until the victim turns 18 if they were a minor at the time, or two years after discovering the harm. The bill directly affects victims of human trafficking (who gain extended legal options) and individuals accused of trafficking offenses (who face no time limit for prosecution). It modifies existing laws to remove fixed time periods for both criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits related to human trafficking.

Maddy summaryS 731 requires New Jersey electric utilities to create special pricing plans for large data centers (defined as facilities with 100+ megawatts monthly demand) to protect regular electricity customers from cost increases. The bill mandates that these plans must prevent non-data center ratepayers from bearing costs from data centers' high energy use and incentivize data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using waste heat. Utilities must submit these plans to the Board of Public Utilities within 180 days, and the rules will take effect one year after the bill passes. Key requirements include data centers committing to 85% service levels for 10 years, proving project uniqueness, and providing financial guarantees to cover potential cost overruns if they reduce service.

Maddy summaryS 552 requires New Jersey's Division of Travel and Tourism to create and maintain a public website featuring all state historic sites, districts, and roadside markers. The website must include searchable maps, driving directions from all compass points, tour details, photos, contact information for site owners, and links to local historical programs. This directly affects travelers seeking historical sites, local historical organizations, and state agencies managing historic properties. The bill mandates regular updates whenever new sites are added by state entities like the Department of Environmental Protection or Department of Transportation.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts wages earned by poll workers during elections from being counted when calculating unemployment benefits in New Jersey. It amends the state's unemployment law (R.S.43:21-19) to exclude these wages from "annual payroll" calculations that determine benefit eligibility. This directly affects election workers who may later qualify for unemployment benefits, ensuring their temporary election work does not reduce their compensation. The policy change prevents poll workers' election wages from impacting their unemployment benefit amount under current law.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the authority of Class Three special law enforcement officers in New Jersey to provide security at places of religious worship, such as churches and mosques, in addition to their existing roles at schools. Under the new provisions, these officers would possess full police powers while on duty at religious sites, though they must complete specific training and certification to carry firearms. The legislation also clarifies that school districts hiring these officers for public schools must also provide them for nonpublic schools within the same district. Finally, the act allows current officers to continue their service if they complete the required training and certification within 24 months of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new certification program for zoning officers and land use board administrators in New Jersey to standardize qualifications for these local government roles. Under the proposed law, individuals must hold a state-issued certificate to be appointed or continue working in these positions, with a transition period allowing current employees to obtain certification within two years of the law's effective date. To qualify, applicants must meet age and education requirements, including at least two years of college coursework or equivalent experience, and successfully complete a planning and zoning course developed with input from various municipal and planning organizations. The Department of Community Affairs will administer the program, which includes a $50 application fee and allows for temporary appointments of uncertified individuals during vacancies for up to two years.