Sen. Jim Beach

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public schools in New Jersey from distributing campaign materials that promote, favor, or oppose any candidate for general, municipal, or school elections to students. It directly affects public school students and staff, banning the distribution of such materials within school buildings or grounds for students to take home or share. The law extends current restrictions (which previously covered only school elections) to apply to all election types, including general and municipal races. School boards must create rules to enforce this prohibition, effective immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summarySJR 48 adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) non-binding working definition of antisemitism for use in New Jersey. This definition, which includes examples like "criticism of Israel similar to other countries not being antisemitic," is intended as an educational tool for public officials, law enforcement, educators, and others to better recognize and address antisemitism. It does not change existing laws but aims to improve awareness and response to antisemitic incidents, referencing New Jersey's reported 298-347 Jewish bias incidents annually. The resolution emphasizes understanding antisemitism as a key step in combating it, without creating new legal obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires urgent care clinics (treating acute but non-life-threatening conditions) and retail health clinics (located in stores/pharmacies offering limited walk-in care) to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site and ensure employees are trained in its use. Clinics must acquire and maintain at least one AED stored in a central, accessible location, notify emergency services about its location and type, and train all staff in CPR and AED operation. Crucially, clinics must guarantee at least one employee is trained and on-site during business hours to use the AED if needed. The requirements must be met within one year of the bill's effective date, with the law taking effect immediately but remaining inactive for 365 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a 25% tax credit against New Jersey's gross income tax for vineyards and wineries that make eligible capital investments. It covers expenses like equipment (bottling machines, irrigation systems, fermenters), agricultural materials (fertilizer, soil amendments), and facility improvements (barrels, pruning tools, deer fencing). The credit is limited to $50,000 per year per business, $250,000 total over 10 years, and a statewide annual cap of $3 million. Businesses must operate profitably and meet specific definitions of "vineyard" (grape-growing land) and "winery" (licensed commercial operation).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1289) allows New Jersey counties to create a dedicated "Fire Academy Trust Fund" using fees paid by individuals registering for county fire academy courses. The fund's revenue - collected from course registrations - must be used exclusively for fire academy equipment, maintenance, supplies, and related services. It prevents these fees from lapsing into the county's general budget at year-end, ensuring consistent funding for fire academy operations. The bill amends existing law to establish this non-lapsing trust fund structure.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers of farmland or development easements to disclose their original purchase price to the buying county, agriculture board, or municipality *before* the sale, when the land is being preserved for agricultural use. It directly affects individuals or businesses selling property for farmland preservation, mandating they share the price they paid for the land. The key provision is a pre-sale disclosure requirement for all sellers, ensuring transparency about the land's original cost to the government entity acquiring it. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides $20 million in supplemental funding for New Jersey's STEM Teachers Loan Redemption and Tuition Reimbursement Programs. It directly affects new STEM teachers (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) who are graduating from educator preparation programs or completing STEM graduate studies in 2021-2022 and are hired as novice teachers in New Jersey public schools. Participants receive an upfront lump-sum payment covering up to 25% of eligible student loan or tuition costs (capped at $20,000) in exchange for a legally binding commitment to teach STEM for four consecutive school years. Failure to complete the four-year service period requires repayment of the benefit as a loan.

Maddy summaryThis bill simplifies licensing requirements for New Jersey's alcohol businesses. It removes a current rule requiring limited brewery and distillery licensees to offer tours when selling certain alcoholic beverages directly to consumers. The bill also creates streamlined filing processes for price lists: small-volume sellers (under 60 SKUs monthly) need only file an initial list annually unless prices change, while larger sellers must follow existing rules. These changes directly affect limited brewery and distillery licensees operating in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tuition reimbursement program for New Jersey residents who are advanced practice nurses certified by the state and provide home health care services in patients' homes. To qualify, nurses must have specialized home health training, apply within one year of certification, and agree to work full-time in home health care for 1-4 years. The program reimburses 25% of a participant's lowest-year tuition cost per year of service, up to 100% total (capped at one year's tuition). Participants must maintain NJ residency, nursing certification, and meet performance standards while providing care without discrimination based on patients' ability to pay.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a 1% tax on purchasers buying controlling ownership of Class 4A commercial properties (income-producing properties like offices or retail space, excluding residential, farms, or industrial buildings) when the sale price exceeds $1 million. It repeals a 2006 tax provision that previously required this payment. The change applies only to transactions occurring after the bill's effective date, which is two months after enactment. This directly affects commercial real estate buyers and sellers involved in high-value transactions meeting the specified criteria.