Sen. Tony Bucco

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hotels, motels, rooming houses, and boarding houses in New Jersey to verify guests' identities by checking valid government-issued identification at check-in. The law mandates that staff physically check or scan identification cards, which can include driver's licenses, passports, or REAL IDs, and maintain a register recording guest names, addresses, arrival and departure dates, and room numbers for at least one year after departure. These provisions apply to all lodging businesses and aim to standardize identification verification practices across the state. The bill takes effect on the first day of the second month following its enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows licensed motor vehicle dealers in New Jersey to help private individuals process title and registration paperwork for used cars they bought from other private sellers. Under current rules, private buyers must submit documents directly to the state within 10 working days, but this legislation would let them use a licensed dealer to handle that process instead. The bill amends existing state statutes to define dealers as authorized to facilitate these transactions and ensures compliance with the same rules that currently apply to private sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate specific tax revenues to New Jersey's state transportation system, directly affecting how state funds are allocated for roads, bridges, and related infrastructure. The amendment would require certain amounts from motor fuel taxes, petroleum product taxes, and sales taxes to be credited to a special account in the General Fund, with minimum dollar amounts specified for various fiscal years. Additionally, any revenue from future taxes on electric vehicles would be added to this dedicated fund, which can only be used for planning, construction, repair, and rehabilitation of the state's transportation system. The bill would also prohibit the Legislature from borrowing, appropriating, or using these dedicated funds for any purpose other than transportation improvements. This change would require voter approval at a general election to become part of the state constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals to move funds from their New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) accounts directly into Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) without paying state income tax on those distributions. The legislation amends existing state laws to classify these transfers as qualified withdrawals, meaning they are treated the same as other tax-advantaged educational savings distributions. By explicitly excluding these Roth IRA rollovers from gross income tax, the bill provides an additional flexibility option for account holders who wish to consolidate their educational savings with retirement funds. The changes directly affect NJBEST account holders who may want to use their educational savings for retirement planning purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or a communication disability to voluntarily add a notation to their New Jersey driver's license or identification card. It also creates a statewide registry where these individuals can submit information to help law enforcement officers communicate more effectively during interactions. The registry includes details like vehicle information and emergency contacts, and access is restricted to authorized commission staff and law enforcement during official duties. Additionally, the bill establishes a training program to educate law enforcement officers on appropriate interactions with people who have autism or communication disabilities. Individuals can remove their designation or registry information at any time.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to accept birth certificates, marriage certificates, social security cards, divorce decrees, and court orders as valid proof of a legal name change for driver's licenses. It also extends the deadline for updating a name on a license from two weeks to six months after the change or the next renewal, whichever comes first. The legislation aims to reduce barriers for people changing their names, particularly allowing middle name updates through marriage without needing a court order.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation to hire an independent firm to conduct an audit of its financial management and budget reporting practices since the 2018 Executive Order assessment. The resulting report must cover financial practices, the impact of the pandemic on service demand, funding adequacy, and recommendations for governance, hiring, and customer experience improvements. New Jersey Transit must adopt recommended policies within six months of the report's release, though it can decline specific recommendations by providing a detailed explanation. The bill takes effect immediately and expires one year after the report is issued, without affecting any existing legal audit requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority to automatically provide toll discounts to all senior citizens aged 65 and older who use the state's electronic toll collection system for passenger vehicles. The discount would be at least 10 percent below the standard electronic toll rate and apply at all hours, with the system automatically applying the reduction when an account holder turns 65 or when a senior applies for a new account. The legislation amends existing state statutes to mandate this automatic enrollment process without requiring seniors to manually request the discount.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the fee for 48-month power vessel operator licenses in New Jersey from $18 to $30 and adds a $6 charge for digitized color pictures on each license. The additional revenue generated from these fees will be partially allocated to the Lake Hopatcong Fund, increasing the annual contribution from $500,000 to $750,000. The Lake Hopatcong Fund supports the Lake Hopatcong Commission in managing and preserving the lake. These changes apply to all power vessel operators in the state and take effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for repeat offenders who receive stolen motor vehicles in New Jersey by raising the severity of charges and imposing stricter sentencing requirements. It directly affects both adults and juveniles who have been convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for receiving stolen vehicles on two or more separate occasions within a 15-year period. Under the new provisions, such repeat offenders would face mandatory minimum sentences that include parole ineligibility, and courts would be required to impose extended terms of imprisonment upon prosecutor request if the prior convictions meet specific criteria. The legislation also clarifies circumstances under which knowledge of a vehicle being stolen can be legally inferred, including situations involving multiple vehicles, recent prior transactions, or lack of proper documentation.