Sen. Tony Bucco

Maddy summarySCR 99 creates a 12-member joint committee of the New Jersey Legislature to study the "Independent Review of New Jersey's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic" report by Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP. The committee will be formed with three members appointed by each chamber's leadership (Speaker and Senate President) and two co-chairs from different parties. Its sole purpose is to examine the report's findings and recommendations, including the report's conclusion that New Jersey is unprepared for future public health crises. The committee will hold hearings and report its findings to the Legislature, but this resolution does not enact any new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for individuals charged with carjacking, theft of motor vehicles, or burglary. If a prosecutor seeks pretrial detention and the court finds probable cause that a defendant committed carjacking, or committed theft of a motor vehicle or burglary in furtherance of car theft with a prior conviction within the past 12 months or pending charges for those crimes, the court would presume detention is necessary. The bill would expire one year after enactment, requiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to report on implementation, including how many individuals were detained under this provision and related outcomes. This changes current law by expanding the types of crimes triggering this presumption beyond murder or life imprisonment offenses.

Maddy summaryS 3060 requires all health insurance carriers in New Jersey to cover annual prostate cancer screening without out-of-pocket costs for men aged 40 to 75. This expands current law, which previously only mandated coverage for men 50+ or 40+ with risk factors, by broadening the age range and defining "prostate cancer screening" to include digital rectal exams, PSA tests, and follow-up diagnostics like imaging and biomarker tests. The bill applies to all health plans, including group policies, HMOs, individual plans, and state health benefit programs. It takes effect 90 days after enactment for all new or renewed contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey public school districts to include data on post-graduation student placements - specifically noting apprenticeships - in annual school performance report cards. It directly affects all public school districts and their reporting to the state. The key mechanism adds a new requirement (item 16) to existing report card content, mandating that districts track and report the number and percentage of graduates placed in apprenticeships alongside other outcomes like college enrollment or employment. The Commissioner of Education will establish the methodology for collecting this data.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to create a program identifying and recruiting unemployed individuals for healthcare jobs. It mandates DOLWD, with input from health officials and healthcare stakeholders, to evaluate job training feasibility, consider job location and transportation options, and address barriers preventing immediate employment. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to support training programs and resources for eligible individuals, using existing DOLWD training infrastructure. It directly affects unemployed New Jersey residents seeking healthcare careers and healthcare facilities needing staff.

Maddy summaryS 2958 establishes a nine-member Government Efficiency and Regulatory Review Commission within the Governor's Office to evaluate state rules, regulations, and executive orders. The commission, including representatives from the Executive and Legislative branches (such as the Chief Innovation Officer, business center director, environmental commissioner, and legislative leaders), will review all proposed or adopted regulations to assess their economic impact and determine if costs to businesses, workers, and local governments outweigh benefits. It must hold annual public hearings, solicit public input, and submit an annual report with recommendations to the Governor for amending or repealing burdensome rules. The commission’s findings are advisory only and cannot be used for legal challenges against state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Second Chance Program within New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development to help formerly incarcerated individuals find stable employment. The program will partner with labor organizations to identify and create job opportunities in local trades, focusing on individuals returning to the workforce after prison. It aims to reduce recidivism by connecting people with career pathways through established labor networks. The program will be managed by the State Employment and Training Commission and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends New Jersey's process for calculating gas taxes through Fiscal Year 2032 and imposes new fees on electric vehicles, including a $300 annual registration fee for passenger EVs and $450 for commercial EVs. It repeals the sales tax exemption for electric vehicles, directing those revenues to transportation projects, and appropriates $2.5 billion total - $1 billion to NJ Transit for capital projects and operations, and $1.5 billion to the Transportation Trust Fund. These changes are intended to support New Jersey's transportation infrastructure funding needs through 2032.

Maddy summarySCR 96 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate specific tax revenues from electric vehicle sales and registration fees exclusively to New Jersey's transportation system. If the state imposes a sales tax on electric vehicles, the amendment requires up to $100 million annually from that tax to fund transportation projects. Similarly, any additional registration fee on electric vehicles would require all revenue from that fee to be dedicated to transportation. The amendment does not create new taxes or fees but ensures that if such revenues exist, they must be used solely for transportation planning, construction, and repairs - barring other constitutional exceptions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 83) creates a bipartisan task force to review New Jersey's state laws, regulations, and executive orders. The task force will assess whether these rules impose excessive costs on businesses, workers, schools, and local governments compared to their intended benefits. It must hold public hearings, gather input from affected groups, and submit annual reports with recommendations to repeal, amend, or rescind burdensome regulations. The resolution focuses on improving economic efficiency through systematic regulatory review, without proposing specific policy changes.