Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled "Farm Labor Equality Act" (S 1075), actually revises child labor laws in New Jersey, not farm labor standards. It raises the minimum age for agricultural work from 12 to 14 years after December 31, 2024, and limits minors under 18 to 10 hours per day in agriculture until 2025 (after which they follow standard minor labor rules). It requires minors aged 11-17 to register with the Department of Labor for work authorization, including proof of school status, and sets strict hour limits (e.g., max 40 hours/week for newspaper carriers). The bill directly affects minors under 18 working in agriculture or as newspaper carriers, and their employers.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to extend public access rights to volunteers raising guide or service dogs during their early training phase (typically 8 weeks to 18 months). It grants these volunteers the same access to public facilities (like restaurants or stores) as people with disabilities, provided the dog wears identifying apparel, remains leashed and under control, and the volunteer presents valid program credentials. The bill specifically covers volunteers raising dogs before formal training begins, addressing a gap where current law only protects professional trainers. These requirements ensure public safety while enabling volunteers to safely train dogs in community settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to allow customers to schedule appointments online for agency services. It directly affects drivers needing to renew licenses, registrations, or other MVC-issued documents that are expiring. If the earliest available appointment is after a document's expiration date, the document's expiration is automatically extended to match the appointment time, and the MVC must provide written confirmation of this extension. The bill aims to prevent documents from expiring prematurely due to scheduling delays.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public school staff from distributing campaign materials to students that promote, favor, or oppose any candidate for general, municipal, or school elections, or ballot issues. It directly affects public school students and staff in New Jersey, preventing schools from giving such materials to students or asking them to distribute them. The key change extends an existing ban (which previously covered only school elections) to all election types, requiring school boards to create rules enforcing this prohibition. The amendment makes it illegal for schools to share election-related literature with students on school property or grounds.

Maddy summaryS 536 modifies penalties for underage casino gambling in New Jersey. It changes current law so that courts may choose to impose a fine (between $500-$1,000) *or* require participation in a compulsive gambling prevention program, rather than mandating both. The bill directly affects individuals under 21 who gamble in casinos, as courts now have discretion in sentencing. It does not change the underlying offense (gambling under 21 remains illegal) or the age threshold (21, the legal drinking age). The program must meet criteria set by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to reimburse volunteer firefighters for cancer screenings not covered by their insurance. It mandates coverage for 11 specific cancer types (including colon, lung, breast, and prostate) starting five years after beginning service, then every three years thereafter. The state will cover up to $1,250 per three-year period (adjusted for inflation), with no out-of-pocket costs for firefighters. Volunteer firefighting status is treated as a pre-existing condition for coverage, and annual state funding must be appropriated to support reimbursements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires data center owners or operators in New Jersey to submit quarterly water and energy usage reports to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The reports must include specific metrics like total energy consumption, water sources, renewable energy usage, waste heat reuse, and efficiency indicators such as power usage effectiveness. Data centers operating for at least one year must submit their first report within three months of enactment, while newer centers have six months. The BPU would publish all submitted data online within 30 days, making it publicly accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows grocery stores to provide single-use paper bags for delivery orders (with a fee), reversing a previous prohibition that banned such bags for delivery. It requires grocery stores and other retailers to repurpose cardboard delivery boxes for reuse when feasible, instead of discarding them. The change amends New Jersey's 2020 law that previously restricted both plastic and paper carryout bags, with the exception now explicitly permitting paper bags for delivery. This policy directly affects grocery stores, delivery services, and retailers handling food deliveries.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 543, "School Bus Safety and Child Protection Act") requires nonpublic schools and charter schools receiving state/federal funds to conduct criminal background checks every four years for school bus drivers, aides, and other staff with regular student contact. It also prohibits tampering with school bus monitoring devices, making it a crime to disable cameras or recording equipment. The law applies specifically to positions involving student interaction, such as bus drivers, security, and maintenance staff in eligible schools. Schools must verify candidates have no disqualifying criminal history per public school standards before hiring and annually notify the state if charges arise against employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 561) amends New Jersey's alcohol licensing laws to allow small breweries (with limited brewery licenses) to sell products from other licensed beverage producers on their premises. Specifically, it permits breweries to sell wine, cider, mead, or distilled spirits made by wineries, cideries, meaderies, or distilleries that produce no more than 250,000 gallons annually. The key change removes previous restrictions, enabling these small breweries to offer a wider variety of products to customers directly at their locations. This directly affects small breweries and other beverage producers seeking to expand their on-site offerings under existing licensing rules.