Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public schools and nonpublic schools receiving federal funding (and subject to Title IX) to post specific information on their websites. Schools must clearly list student rights under Title IX, provide contact details for their Title IX coordinator (including phone and email), and explain how to file a complaint, including time limits and investigation steps. The state Education Commissioner must also send annual reminders to these schools about student rights and school responsibilities under Title IX. The law applies immediately to all qualifying schools and aims to improve transparency about discrimination protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's early intervention services program to cover eligible children from birth through age five (previously only up to age two). It requires the Department of Health to provide services for infants, toddlers, and young children with developmental delays or disabilities, aligning with federal Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The key mechanism is mandating the Department to seek federal funding waivers or plan amendments to finance the expanded age range, ensuring continued federal support for the program. This directly affects families of children with developmental needs who would now qualify for services through age five.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create a New Jersey program providing up to $10,000 in matching grants to help eligible military members purchase homes. It directly affects members of the U.S. Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard who served at least 90 days in Operation Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, or Iraqi Freedom, are legal New Jersey residents, and plan to buy a primary residence in the state. The grants match the recipient's contribution dollar-for-dollar for closing costs or equity payments, with no income requirement (though priority would go to those eligible for other state housing programs). The program would be administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency in coordination with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Maddy summaryS 167 establishes a two-year pilot program to integrate 24-hour behavioral health services into hospital urgent care facilities across New Jersey. The bill requires participating hospitals (selected by Medicaid managed care organizations) to provide integrated care through licensed behavioral clinicians, telehealth psychiatry, and specific care transition methods like "warm hand-offs" (direct connections to providers) and "supportive contacts" (brief follow-up communications). This program targets individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, aiming to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and inpatient admissions by stabilizing patients at urgent care facilities. It will be funded through Medicaid using a value-based payment system that covers costs for participating facilities and providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires retail used car dealers in New Jersey to check for open safety recalls on vehicles before selling them to consumers. Dealers must verify recall status using the vehicle’s identification number (VIN) via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database and inform buyers if any unresolved recalls exist. If the NHTSA database shows no recalls after a dealer checks it, the law presumes the dealer had no knowledge of existing recalls - though this doesn’t absolve dealers of responsibility for NHTSA database errors. The rule applies only to retail sales (not wholesale or junkyard transactions) and aims to ensure buyers are aware of potential safety issues before purchasing a used vehicle.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Jersey state and certain local government employees to work on Good Friday in exchange for a day off on another pre-approved religious holiday during the same calendar year. It requires the Civil Service Commission to create a list of acceptable holidays based on the existing list used by schools (per N.J.S.18A:36-16), excluding school employees from this option. Employees must notify their employer by January 1 to use the alternate holiday, and failure to do so results in the leave defaulting to Good Friday. The policy directly affects eligible government workers while maintaining existing paid holiday structure for other days.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 596) would require courts to impose mandatory minimum prison terms for anyone convicted of crimes against elderly people aged 60 or older. The minimum sentence would be one-third to one-half of the total prison term, during which offenders could not be released on parole. It defines "elderly person" as anyone 60 years or older under New Jersey law. The bill aims to ensure longer incarceration periods for crimes targeting older adults, applying to all offenses committed against this group.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 527 prohibits electioneering (such as distributing campaign materials or soliciting support for candidates/parties) within 25 feet of any person waiting in line at a polling place or ballot drop box, making it a misdemeanor. This expands existing law, which already banned such activity within 100 feet of polling sites, to cover lines forming outside that 100-foot zone. The bill exempts newspaper vendors and nonpartisan voter assistance (like explaining ballot procedures) that doesn't support or oppose candidates or issues. It directly affects voters waiting in line, poll workers, and campaign volunteers near voting locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) and other state agencies that serve people with developmental disabilities to provide clear, accessible information about transportation options. Specifically, agencies must distribute written materials (like pamphlets) and post them online, including details such as contact numbers, eligibility rules, and whether caregivers can accompany users for services like the Access Link paratransit system. The Assistant Commissioner of Developmental Disabilities must develop these materials using simple language and visuals to help users understand transportation choices. The law aims to improve access to mobility resources for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2604) adds migraine to the list of medical conditions that allow people to apply for permission to install window tinting on motor vehicles. It directly affects individuals with migraines who experience light-triggered symptoms (photosensitivity), enabling them to seek approval from the Motor Vehicle Commission for tinting on windshields and front side windows. The key provision amends existing law to include migraine alongside other conditions like lupus or solar urticaria, requiring a doctor's certification and an application to the Commission. This would permit medical exemptions from standard tinting restrictions for qualifying migraine sufferers. The bill is pending in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee as of its introduction date.