Sen. Latham Tiver

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state employers and service providers (contractors) to verify applicants' history of child abuse or sexual misconduct for positions involving regular contact with children. Applicants must provide a list of their current and past employers (within the last 20 years) and disclose any related investigations, disciplinary actions, or license issues. Employers must then contact previous employers to confirm this information, and applicants who provide false details may face denial of employment or civil penalties up to $500. The policy applies to all state departments and contracted entities hiring for child-involving roles.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1865 adds seven specific illicit fentanyl analogs - Furanyl Fentanyl, 3-Methylfentanyl, 3-Methyl Butyrylfentanyl, Valeryl Fentanyl, Norfentanyl, Para-Fluorobutyryl-Fentanyl, and Carfentanyl - to Schedule I of the state's Controlled Dangerous Substances Act. This formalizes their current administrative classification (already in effect since 2017), meaning these substances are now legally treated as having high abuse potential with no accepted medical use. The bill directly affects law enforcement, healthcare providers, and individuals handling these compounds, requiring strict regulatory controls. Prescription fentanyl remains classified separately as a Schedule II substance.

Maddy summaryS 332 establishes the "Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial Commission" to design and oversee a memorial honoring New Jersey law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who died in the line of duty. The commission, composed of 13 members including representatives from relevant associations, family members of fallen personnel, and public members appointed by the Governor, must select a memorial design and location within 18 months. It will manage a dedicated fund (established in the Department of Treasury) to finance the memorial's construction and maintenance through donations and appropriations. The memorial must feature three walls - one for each emergency service branch - with space to list fallen personnel and accommodate future names.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets a minimum $300 payment rate per basic life support emergency ambulance transport under New Jersey's Medicaid program, increasing from the current $58 rate. It also establishes a minimum $8.94 per loaded mile reimbursement for ground ambulance mileage, with annual adjustments tied to the Medicare rate. The changes apply to all Medicaid-covered emergency transports starting July 1, 2024, affecting ambulance providers serving Medicaid patients. The law requires the state to update Medicaid rules and seek federal approval for these reimbursement changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1849) changes death benefit eligibility for police and fire department employees in New Jersey. It requires the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) to treat employees who died before enrolling in the system as if they were enrolled from their first day of employment. This means surviving spouses, children, or parents of such employees can now receive death benefits they previously would not have qualified for. The change applies retroactively to deaths occurring before the bill's enactment, with beneficiaries having up to 12 months after the bill takes effect to apply for these benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Forest Stewardship Incentive Fund" using money from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to cover costs for forest stewardship planning. It provides grants to cover the **total cost** of developing and implementing forest stewardship plans for **local government-owned forest land**. For private owners and nonprofits, it offers up to $1,500 base coverage, with an additional 80% of costs exceeding $1,500 (capped at $2,500 total). The fund directly supports local governments, nonprofits, and private forest landowners in creating plans to manage and steward forest resources.

Maddy summarySJR 46 designates neon yellow (Pantone 395), named "Vet 22" in New Jersey, as the official state color to raise awareness of veteran suicide. It directly affects New Jersey's 340,560 veterans (including 25,680 women) by symbolically highlighting the statistic that 22 veterans die by suicide daily. The bill serves solely as a symbolic gesture to draw attention to existing support programs for veterans' mental health, with no new funding or policy changes. It follows Pennsylvania's similar initiative and requires no action beyond the color designation.

Maddy summarySCR 45 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging Congress to pass the federal "Fix Our Forests Act." It does not create new laws but formally requests congressional action on this pending bill. The resolution highlights New Jersey's wildfire risks (1,500 annual fires damaging 7,000 acres) and notes the federal bill would establish a data-driven Fireshed Center to assess wildfire risks and support forest management practices like prescribed burns and tree thinning. This procedural resolution directly targets Congress, not New Jersey residents or state agencies.

Maddy summaryS 1913 requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Transportation to create and maintain a searchable online website displaying details about transportation projects funded by federal money. It directly affects state agencies managing federally funded infrastructure projects (like road or transit work) by mandating they publish project names, costs, and responsible entities on this public website within 30 days of the law taking effect. The website must be free, accessible from the state's main website, organized by project type and agency, and include a public comment section. This bill aims to increase transparency around how federal transportation funds are allocated and spent, without changing funding levels or project requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 369) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities to notify federal immigration authorities within 24 hours when arresting or convicting non-citizens unlawfully present in the U.S. who are charged with specific crimes like violent offenses, drug-related crimes, theft, or robbery. It applies to all law enforcement agencies, sentencing courts, correctional facilities holding convicted non-citizens, and parole/probation officers supervising them. The notification triggers deportation proceedings under federal immigration enforcement. The bill defines "federal immigration authority" as officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, or Homeland Security.