Sen. Tony Bucco

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1439 requires health insurance plans (including hospital, medical, health service, and individual policies) to cover orthotic and prosthetic appliances from licensed providers - including podiatrists - when medically necessary for daily activities. It also mandates coverage for *additional* appliances needed for specific sports and recreational activities like running, swimming, skiing, and team sports, as determined by a physician. Insurance plans must reimburse at the same rate as federal Medicare for these appliances. This applies to all relevant health insurance contracts in New Jersey, directly affecting insured individuals needing these devices for mobility or recreation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a voluntary resume bank for New Jersey residents with disabilities seeking appointments to state boards, commissions, authorities, or similar entities. It requires the Governor to maintain an online system where individuals can submit resumes, contact details, disability-related information, and preferred appointment types. The resume bank will be confidential and accessible only to state agencies and the Legislature, not the public. This policy directly affects people with disabilities who wish to serve on state-appointed bodies, aiming to streamline their access to these opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3812) removes a restriction that allowed the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) to withhold retirement or death benefits from members due to ongoing civil lawsuits related to their employment. It directly affects current and future PFRS members (police officers and firefighters) who are involved in civil litigation over their jobs. The bill requires the PFRS Board to pay benefits immediately, but permits adjustments if a legal case later results in penalties. It maintains existing rules that allow withholding for criminal charges or administrative dismissals from public employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the deadline for members of New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), and State Police Retirement System (SPRS) to apply for accidental disability retirement benefits related to 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. It allows members to file within two years of this bill's effective date (with possible two-year extensions), replacing the previous deadline of two years after a 2019 law. The bill also relaxes medical documentation requirements, permitting members to use evidence from medical exams performed before or after entering public service instead of requiring proof they passed a pre-employment physical. Retirement systems must notify members about these changes within 60 days of enactment through certified mail.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public entities (including counties, municipalities, and state agencies) to publish required legal notices on their official websites starting March 1, 2026, instead of relying solely on print newspapers. It establishes specific eligibility criteria for online news publications to be used for legal notices, including minimum monthly visit requirements (4,000 for municipal, 50,000 for county, and 350,000 for state-wide circulation) and requirements for accessibility and archiving. Public entities must maintain an online archive of legal notices for at least one year and display notices for at least one week before moving them to the archive. The Secretary of State must create a centralized webpage linking to all public entities' legal notice websites, with a direct link on the Secretary's homepage. The bill extends the transition period from print newspaper publication to digital publication until March 1, 2026, while allowing entities to continue using qualifying newspapers through that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the automatic presumption that defendants charged with repeat home invasion or residential burglary offenses can be released before trial. It specifically affects individuals with prior convictions for home invasion burglary (N.J.S.2C:18-2.1), residential burglary (N.J.S.2C:18-2.2), or burglary of a residence (N.J.S.2C:18-2) on one or more separate occasions. Under the bill, judges must now actively justify releasing such defendants - rather than assuming release is appropriate - by considering factors like flight risk, danger to the community, or potential obstruction of justice. The change modifies New Jersey’s pretrial release law (P.L.2014, c.31) to remove this specific exception from the default release presumption.

Maddy summaryS 4623 exempts common oral healthcare products like toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and dental floss from New Jersey's sales and use tax. The bill defines these products as items designed to maintain oral health, excluding food, dietary supplements, and durable medical equipment. This exemption aligns with a multistate tax agreement to standardize product definitions and applies to retail purchases for personal use. As a result, consumers buying these everyday oral care items will no longer pay state sales tax on them.

Maddy summaryS 854 allows dogs, including emotional support dogs, to temporarily visit residents at New Jersey's State veterans' residential facilities (like veterans' homes and Veterans Havens). Family members of residents and approved groups (animal shelters, nonprofits, veterans' organizations) may bring dogs for visits, provided they follow specific rules: dogs must be leashed indoors, have current vaccinations (except service dogs), and be under handler control. Facilities must consider residents' health needs, can deny access for safety risks (like uncontrolled dogs or health hazards), and aren't responsible for dog care during visits. This bill does not permit permanent dog stays or overnight access.

Maddy summaryThis bill would reorganize New Jersey's State Police by establishing it as a principal department within the state's executive branch, rather than as a division within the Department of Law and Public Safety. Currently, the Division of State Police operates under the Attorney General's Department, but this bill would transfer it to become the Department of State Police with the Superintendent of State Police as its head. The bill also designates the Superintendent as the State Director of Emergency Management and clarifies that personnel decisions within the department would require only the Superintendent's approval, not the Attorney General's. This reorganization would change the administrative structure of the State Police and its relationship to other state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows 12th-grade students in New Jersey public schools to receive excused absences for military enlistment activities without affecting their attendance records. It specifically covers required steps like testing, medical evaluations, interviews, and fingerprinting for those enlisting in the U.S. military or National Guard. Schools cannot count these absences toward perfect attendance records or list them on transcripts, applications, or employment forms. Students must provide documentation to verify their military enlistment plans to school officials.