Fred H. Madden Jr

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Fred H. Madden that would establish a State domestic violence public awareness program was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.

“Education is the first step to empowering women to fight back against abuse,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “We will show them how to seek help if they are victims of domestic violence – how to seek out counseling and remove themselves from a hostile home environment. This campaign will get women the resources they need to begin the healing process and return to healthier, more normal lives.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Wayne R. Bryant that would require clinical laboratories to aid in early kidney disease detection by monitoring creatinine levels in patients blood was approved today by the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee.

“According to the United States Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, U.S. doctors performed 15,331 kidney transplants in the year 2001 alone,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “The patients who were able to receive the transplants were very fortunate; however, not all kidney disease sufferers are able to receive the life-saving surgery. This measure would help make the public aware of the risks and prevalence of kidney disease, and allow them to work with their physicians to detect any kidney abnormalities in their early stages.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Ellen Karcher that would create the “New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act” to benefit domestic and sexual violence survivors was approved today by the Senate Labor Committee.

“Acts of domestic and sexual violence are intimate attacks that affect every aspect of a victim’s life. Their attackers often prey on a victim’s financial dependence and use it as a means of escaping punishment or committing additional attacks,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “This bill would break the cycle of dependence that is unique to domestic and sexual violence by providing victims with the means for getting out of a violent situation without losing their job altogether.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden that would prevent pet cemetery owners from assessing maintenance fees retroactively has been approved by the Senate.

“Pet owners have the right to expect a level of finality when making decisions regarding the death of a family pet,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “This bill will ensure that grieving pet lovers will not fact the burden of future claims for payments due to changes to ownership of a pet cemetery or other company decisions.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Ellen Karcher and Fred H. Madden that would permit New Jersey to uphold domestic violence restraining orders granted in other states was approved today by the Senate.

“The fear that domestic violence survivors live with everyday – a fear that it could happen again – knows no boundaries,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “However, under our current system, a domestic violence restraining order is only enforced in the state it was issued. We need to provide a continuous shield of protection for the victims of domestic violence, and we must uphold restraining orders issued in other states to accomplish that goal.”