Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryS 1210 requires owners of venues hosting large public gatherings (1,000+ people) and youth athletic events to keep an automatic external defibrillator (AED) on-site and accessible at all times. It mandates that these venues store the AED in a central, unlocked location near seating, train staff in CPR and AED use, and ensure at least one certified person is present during events to respond to cardiac emergencies. The bill also requires venues to create a cardiac response protocol, notify emergency services of the AED’s location, and mark it with visible signage. Non-compliance results in civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation, with immunity from liability for proper AED use.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 19-member Task Force to study issues affecting New Jersey's approved private schools for students with disabilities, which serve approximately 11,000 students with complex disabilities. The task force will examine ways to improve the tuition-setting process, funding mechanisms, and fiscal accountability of these schools, including comparing actual taxpayer costs and post-graduation outcomes between private placements and comparable public school programs. It will review areas like hiring practices, salary guidelines, business operations, and allowable costs. The task force, appointed by the Governor and including school officials, parents, advocates, and auditors, must issue a final report with recommendations within one year. This study aims to address concerns about proposed state rules that could impact these schools and the students they serve.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Jersey state departments, agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities to place a prominent link on their public websites, allowing anyone to submit complaints about the entity's performance or customer service. It directly affects the public (who can file complaints) and all state agencies (which must implement the link and process complaints). The key mechanism mandates that agency heads periodically review all submitted complaints and assess how to address issues causing them. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryS 2711 prohibits New Jersey public colleges and universities from raising tuition for resident undergraduate students during their first four consecutive academic years of enrollment. The law directly affects in-state students who begin their studies at a public four-year institution, locking in their tuition rate for four years (or longer for programs requiring more than four years to complete). Key provisions require institutions to maintain the initial tuition rate for eligible students throughout this period, regardless of future cost increases. This policy creates immediate financial predictability for students and families during the core undergraduate years.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a housing purchase matching grant program for New Jersey National Guard members and U.S. Armed Forces personnel who served at least 90 days in Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation Iraqi Freedom. The program provides up to $10,000 in matching funds (dollar for dollar) to eligible applicants for home purchases in New Jersey, covering closing costs, equity payments, or other home-buying expenses. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of military service in specified operations, legal New Jersey residency, and intent to purchase a principal residence in the state. The program, administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency with coordination from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, is funded by a $2 million appropriation from the General Fund.

Maddy summaryS 2790 requires New Jersey electric, gas, sewer, telephone, and water utilities to include written notice in customers' monthly bills about scheduled non-emergency utility work that could impact traffic within a three-mile radius of the customer's home. The bill exempts emergency repairs (defined as immediate threats to life, health, or property). Utilities must provide this notice for planned projects like road excavations or line replacements, ensuring residents are informed before work begins. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryS 2775 requires New Jersey public colleges and universities to post bias intimidation statistics and their anti-bias policy on their websites in a prominent, easily accessible location. Institutions must adopt a detailed policy prohibiting bias intimidation - including definitions, reporting procedures, disciplinary actions, and victim support resources - and incorporate a first-year student module on bias intimidation. The bill also mandates that all students receive information about these policies and statistics through email or orientation materials. This applies to any public institution receiving state funds for student assistance programs, aiming to increase transparency around campus bias incidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates special "We Support the Arts" license plates for New Jersey motor vehicle owners. Owners who choose these plates pay a $50 initial fee and a $10 annual fee on top of standard registration costs, with all proceeds (after covering administrative costs) deposited into a dedicated "Support the Arts Fund" for the New Jersey State Council on Arts. The license plate design will be selected via a statewide contest and must display the slogan "We Support the Arts."

Maddy summaryThe Farm Labor Equality Act (S 2764) would extend key labor protections to New Jersey farmworkers. It raises the minimum age for agricultural work from 12 to 14 years, limits work hours for minors to 8 hours daily (down from 10), and requires overtime pay (1.5x regular wage for hours over 40 per week). The bill also provides farmworkers with rights to organize, bargain collectively, and access workplace information, similar to other private sector workers. Additionally, it repeals exclusions that previously prevented farmworkers from qualifying for unemployment benefits based on employer size or wage thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish an Alzheimer's disease public awareness and education program. The program must include a public campaign covering symptoms, warning signs, and treatment options; educational materials for health providers; and training for police, fire, emergency medical staff, and judicial personnel to recognize symptoms and respond appropriately. DHS will develop and post accessible information about Alzheimer's on its website in English and Spanish, in consultation with the Alzheimer's Association. The law aims to improve public understanding of Alzheimer's, support early detection, and help professionals better assist affected individuals and families.