Sen. Tony Bucco

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New Jersey gross income tax deduction for state fuel taxes paid on motor fuel used for personal vehicle operation. It allows single, married, or head-of-household filers to deduct these taxes from their taxable income, capped at $1,000 for 2021 and $2,000 for subsequent years. The deduction excludes amounts reimbursed by employers or claimed as business expenses elsewhere. It applies to all income levels and filing statuses, directly benefiting New Jersey residents who pay state fuel taxes for personal driving.

Maddy summaryThis bill suspends two specific charges on residential electric and gas utility bills in New Jersey for four months (June 1-September 30, 2025). It eliminates the state sales and use tax (under the Sales and Use Tax Act) and the societal benefits charge (under P.L.1999, c.23) that typically appear on customer bills. The suspension directly affects residential utility customers by reducing their monthly bills during a period when electricity rates are projected to increase 17.2-20.2%. The goal is to provide immediate relief from anticipated higher costs, as the state Board of Public Utilities announced upcoming rate hikes.

Maddy summaryS 242 establishes the "New Jersey Alternate Route Opportunity Fund," a grant program providing financial assistance to economically disadvantaged New Jersey residents seeking police officer training through the state's alternate route program. This program directly affects individuals who lack a police department appointment (unlike standard recruits whose departments cover training costs) and need help paying for basic police training at approved schools. The fund, administered by a board of directors (including a commission representative and eight governor-appointed public members), identifies eligible candidates, sets financial need criteria, and disburses grants directly to training schools to cover course costs. The program aims to increase access to police careers for underrepresented groups while being overseen by the Police Training Commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts two groups from paying fees for New Jersey identification cards: people with disabilities and homeless individuals. To qualify, disabled applicants must provide proof of disability verified by the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) with Social Security, while homeless applicants must submit proof of temporary residence through a social worker or shelter coordinator. The MVC must annually report waiver usage to the Office of Homelessness Prevention. The law does not change standard fees but creates specific pathways to avoid them for these groups.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (S 2405) requires most health insurance plans sold in the state to cover hearing aids. Insurers must provide one hearing aid per ear every 48 months for medically necessary devices prescribed by licensed audiologists or hearing aid dispensers, with patients paying no more than 15% of the cost. The mandate applies to hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations, and individual/group health insurance policies. It directly affects all health insurers operating in New Jersey and policyholders needing hearing aids.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey school boards to give hiring preference to veterans for teaching positions when veterans are equally qualified as other candidates in all measurable criteria. It directly affects veterans seeking teaching jobs in public school districts across New Jersey, ensuring they receive priority consideration under this standard. The preference does not apply in school districts using New Jersey's Civil Service system (Title 11A), which follows separate hiring rules for classified positions. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2428) adjusts the New Jersey veterans' income tax exemption amount to keep pace with inflation. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans who qualify under state law, increasing their current $6,000 exemption annually based on the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI-U). The exemption will automatically rise each year if the C-CPI-U increases from the previous year's 12-month period ending August 31, but remain unchanged if inflation is flat. This change applies to tax years starting in 2023 and beyond.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 2376 provides free admission to state parks, forests, and certain historic sites for veterans on Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Independence Day, Patriot Day, and Veterans Day. It directly affects veterans who are New Jersey residents and have been honorably discharged from military service, including WWII Merchant Marine members eligible for federal benefits. The bill requires veterans to show proof of service and discharge, and it applies to state-owned parks/forests, historic properties funded by state moneys (like Green Acres bonds), and county/municipal historic sites. This policy change eliminates admission fees for qualifying veterans on these designated days, building on existing exemptions for veterans' organizations.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the State Treasurer to sell 0.69 acres of state-owned land and improvements at 101 Ridgedale Avenue in Morristown to the Town of Morristown as surplus property. The property, previously used as a Motor Vehicle Commission inspection center (closed after hurricane damage), is being sold for $850,000. Proceeds will go to state debt relief or capital improvement projects. The sale requires approval from the State House Commission and directly affects the Town of Morristown as the buyer and the state as the seller.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New Jersey county Surrogates to establish electronic systems for accepting digital signatures on specific probate documents, such as executor applications, asset affidavits, and notice of probate. It explicitly excludes wills from coverage and lists 11 qualifying document types. The Supreme Court may create court rules to implement this, and the law would take effect immediately upon passage. It directly affects individuals and legal representatives handling probate cases in New Jersey.