Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey public school districts serving grades 9-12 to add instruction about gambling addiction risks to their health and physical education curriculum. The teaching must cover gambling addiction dangers, financial risks from gambling, and the difference between probability and predictability. The state Education Commissioner will provide schools with sample lesson materials and develop teacher training on identifying gambling issues and treatment options. The requirement takes effect for the first full school year after the next state curriculum review, not immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey, including Medicaid, to cover treatment for stuttering without cost-sharing. It mandates coverage for both habilitative speech therapy (to help maintain or improve speech skills) and rehabilitative speech therapy (to restore speech skills that have been lost), whether provided in-person or through telehealth. The coverage must be provided without prior authorization, utilization management requirements, or any deductibles, copayments, or annual limits. This applies to all health insurance policies delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in New Jersey on or after the effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases signature requirements for candidates seeking municipal, school, and nonpartisan election offices in New Jersey. It raises the threshold from 2% to 5% of the statewide General Assembly vote for most candidates, sets a minimum of 2,000 signatures for statewide offices (up from 800), and adjusts municipal requirements based on population size (e.g., 25-100 signatures for smaller municipalities). These changes directly affect candidates and petition circulators in local elections across all 565 New Jersey municipalities and school districts. The law modifies existing statutes without altering voting procedures or election administration beyond the signature thresholds.

Maddy summaryS 1416 requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create and regularly update a comprehensive Statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Plan. The plan must assess current EMS resources and effectiveness, set performance goals to improve access and response times, and include regional strategies developed with county health boards. It mandates specific actions like developing metrics for service quality, expanding paramedic training in underserved areas, and coordinating with hospitals and medical organizations. The DOH must review and update the plan every three years and make it publicly available online, directly affecting how emergency care is organized across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases signature requirements for candidates to appear on New Jersey election ballots. For general elections, candidates will need 5% of the vote cast for General Assembly members (up from 2%) or 2,000 signatures for statewide offices (up from 800). Primary election requirements increase from 1,000 to 2,500 signatures for statewide races, 200 to 500 for congressional races, and 100 to 250 for legislative races. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to publish petition forms by January 1 each year to give candidates sufficient time to meet the new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows trained school bus drivers to administer epinephrine to students experiencing anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) during school transportation. It requires parental written consent, physician authorization for the student's condition, school notification of no liability, a parental liability waiver, and mandatory training for bus drivers using standardized protocols. The policy affects students with known severe allergies, school bus drivers (who volunteer and complete training), and school districts or contractors. Liability protections apply for good-faith actions, excluding willful misconduct, and the bill takes effect for the first full school year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state-funded transportation projects needing geotechnical testing to hire a geotechnical engineer. The engineer must recommend testing types and frequency during design, and all recommended testing must be completed during construction unless exempted by the State transportation engineer. It also mandates groundwater testing and monitoring before construction begins, with ongoing monitoring if site conditions require it (capped at three years), and requires deformation monitoring if needed, with advanced tracking if limits are exceeded. The Department of Transportation must follow all internal standards without waiving them, except as authorized by the State transportation engineer.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the lists of environmental infrastructure projects approved for long-term funding under New Jersey's FY2025 environmental infrastructure funding program. It updates the specific clean water and drinking water projects that will receive funding, including detailed information about project sponsors, project numbers, and estimated loan amounts. The bill does not create new funding mechanisms but rather modifies the approved project lists for the existing program. This update ensures eligible municipalities and water systems can access funding for infrastructure improvements like stormwater management, combined sewer overflow abatement, and drinking water system upgrades.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's homestead property tax reimbursement program to include disabled individuals receiving disability payments under the federal Railroad Retirement Act. Previously, only those receiving disability payments under the Social Security Act qualified. The amendment adds Railroad Retirement Act recipients to the definition of "disabled person" in the law, allowing them to claim the reimbursement if they meet other standard requirements like income limits and residency. This change directly affects disabled railroad workers who previously could not access this property tax relief.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey hospitals to provide clear information about the Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) to patients who are crime victims in emergency rooms. It mandates that the Commissioner of Health, working with the Attorney General, create easily understandable pamphlets and signs detailing VCCO services, contact details, and how to file a claim. These materials must be distributed to crime victims and posted prominently in all general hospital emergency departments and licensed satellite emergency clinics. The policy aims to ensure victims of crime can access compensation resources immediately after an incident. The bill takes effect four months after enactment.