Fred H. Madden

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden, which expands New Jersey’s Homestead Property Tax Rebate program to help more seniors and disabled residents was signed into law today.

            “The expansion of this program has been a long time in the making,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, who first sponsored this legislation in 2004.  “I am pleased with the signing of this bill, and all that it will do to help provide some much-needed financial relief for some of the State’s most vulnerable seniors and disabled residents.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Jeff Van Drew, which would expand New Jersey’s Homestead Property Tax Reimbursement program to help more seniors and disabled residents was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.

            “As the economy continues to change, quite a few of our older and disabled residents find themselves having to move to more affordable homes,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, who first sponsored this legislation in 2004.  

“The impetus for this bill came from one of my Gloucester County constituents who was in this predicament.  This bill would help to permit residents who would normally qualify for the homestead reimbursement program, but decide to move – out of necessity or otherwise, to receive these benefits.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden, which would expand New Jersey’s Homestead Property Tax Rebate program to help more seniors and disabled residents was unanimously approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

            “The expansion of this program has been a long time in the making,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, who first sponsored this legislation in 2004.  “I am pleased to see that this bill is moving forward, especially during these difficult economic times.  When approved, this measure would help to provide some much-needed financial relief for some of the State’s most vulnerable seniors and disabled residents.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Joseph F. Vitale which would establish the “New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force” within the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) was unanimously approved today by the Senate Education Committee.

            “This bill has been around for a while, and in essence, it is the result of a number of student athletes suffering heart attacks while playing sports,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “I’ve met with various cardiologists and medical associations, and this bill is designed to put together a task force of cardiac professionals, to examine the current screening process and ensure that we are up to date on the latest methods and technologies involved with these screenings.  The bill’s intent is to find the best possible methods to better assess these student athletes.”

            “Heart disease doesn’t just affect the elderly, overweight, or inactive,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, who Chairs the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Panel.  “We are seeing more and more cases of heart conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy among children, but because these conditions are virtually undetectable without cardiac screening, it is imperative that students undergo these tests before participating in strenuous activities like playing for school sports teams.  This task force would be responsible for studying and evaluating ways to help put an end to these preventable deaths in student athletes.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden which requires assisted living facilities to have both a defibrillator and a staff member trained in its use on site has been signed into law.

            “Through the signing of this legislation, we are providing increased protection for nursing home residents around the State,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “More often than not, assisted living facilities are home to older residents and those with serious health issues.  This measure codifies existing Department of Health and Senior Service regulations and brings these facilities in closer in line with nursing homes and other health-related institutions, by ensuring that employees have the training necessary to use a defibrillator to help save a life in an emergency situation.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Fred H. Madden which revises New Jersey’s alimony and inheritance laws to ensure that persons found guilty of abuse, murder and other related crimes are unable to receive financial rewards has been signed into law.

   “This law corrects several major injustices that have occurred over the past years,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “It is incomprehensible that one should have to pay alimony to a spouse who murdered their child, or give up half of their property to a wife who hired a hit man to kill them. Although, the courts were following the law, I wish I’d never had to sponsor and pass this bill.”

“The notion that a person can physically harm or even take the life of a spouse, and then expect to receive alimony or an inheritance payment is completely unconscionable,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “This law will send a crystal clear message that New Jersey will no longer allow these criminals to use the legal system to do even further harm to victims and their families.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden which would require assisted living facilities to have both a defibrillator and a staff member trained in its use on site was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.

            “This is a common sense measure,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “More often than not, assisted living facilities are home to older residents and those with serious health issues.  This bill would codify existing Department of Health and Senior Service regulations and bring these facilities in closer in line with nursing homes and other health-related institutions, by making sure that employees are trained in the steps necessary to help treat residents with heart conditions.”

            TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Fred H. Madden which would revise current alimony and inheritance laws to ensure that persons found guilty of abuse, murder and other related crimes are unable to receive financial rewards was unanimously approved today by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

            “To me it’s pretty simple – this bill would prevent these criminals from doing even further damage to their victims and their families by requiring them to pay alimony or inheritance payments,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen.  “This legislation would amend current laws that might otherwise entitle these criminals to these monetary benefits, and ensure that such undeserving persons are not rewarded for their actions.”

            “There are certain things that are completely unacceptable, and expecting to receive alimony or an inheritance benefit from a family member, after you have threatened, or in some cases taken, his or her life  is unconscionable,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “This legislation would clear up any misconceptions or confusion about the awarding of these benefit payments.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Steve Sweeney, which would provide workers’ compensation benefits to surviving spouses of police officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty was approved today by the full Senate.

            “When a public safety official gives his or her life in the line of duty, their loved ones are left behind to pick up the pieces,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “In situations like this, the families also become victims, because they are left with the unexpected responsibility of having to make ends meet.  The benefits that would be afforded through this bill would allow spouses to move on financially – we owe this to them.”

            “The goal of this bill is to allow the spouses of police officers and firefighters who have paid the ultimate price protecting our safety, to continue to receive the benefits to which they are entitled,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem.  “I certainly don’t think it’s too much to ask, and we owe these benefits to these families.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden, which would assist veterans in making the transition from the armed services into college was unanimously approved today by the Senate Education Committee.

            “This goal of this program is to provide information and resources to help make veterans aware of the programs and benefits available to them in their efforts to further their education,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester.  “For many of our men and women in uniform, it’s been quite a few years since they graduated from high school, and this program would help educate them about financial aid, campus veterans’ assistance, and other resources designed to help our vets earn their degrees.”