Sen. Tony Bucco

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 884 helps National Guard and Reserve members who couldn't complete police or firefighter hiring due to military service. It places their names on the next available hiring list in score order if they served 30+ days after 9/11/2001 during specified military operations (Operation Enduring Freedom or Freedom’s Sentinel). The bill also ensures those who met age requirements when taking the civil service exam won't be disqualified later due to age. This applies to individuals who passed the exam but were delayed by active duty.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to expand eligibility for accidental disability benefits. It allows state employees who worked at a psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately before joining PERS to apply for benefits if they sustained a work-related injury after January 2003 - even if the injury occurred before they became a PERS member. The key change deems such injuries as happening during membership, making the employee eligible for the benefit. This adjustment specifically applies to injuries from duties at these facilities, without altering the requirement that injuries must be work-related and reported within five years (with exceptions for delayed symptoms).

Maddy summaryS 901 requires New Jersey's Secretary of State to create a website where voters can report issues with mail-in ballots they receive, such as ballots sent to the wrong address or to a deceased person. Voters would submit their contact details and describe the problem, with reports automatically sent to county election officials for follow-up. The bill also establishes the "Vote by Mail Study Commission," a 9-member group tasked with investigating mail-in voting systems - including preventing duplicate ballots or mailings to inactive voters - and holding public hearings across the state. The commission must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of its first meeting.

Maddy summaryS 869 establishes an annual four-day sales tax holiday in New Jersey for physical goods purchased between 12:01 a.m. Friday after Thanksgiving and 11:59 p.m. Monday after Thanksgiving. This exemption applies directly to retailers selling tangible personal property (physical goods) and shoppers making purchases during this period. The bill removes the state sales tax for qualifying items during these specific dates, which include Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Sunday, and Cyber Monday. It does not alter other sales tax rules or apply to services, food, or clothing.

Maddy summarySCR 41 is a New Jersey concurrent resolution urging the U.S. President and Congress to expand benefits under the "Agent Orange Benefits Act of 1996" to include grandchildren of veterans exposed to Agent Orange who have Spina Bifida. Currently, this federal law provides monthly payments, healthcare, vocational training, and other support only to the children of affected veterans, not their grandchildren. The resolution requests that Congress amend the 1996 Act to extend these specific benefits to grandchildren diagnosed with Spina Bifida, citing evidence of elevated health risks in this group. It does not create new federal law but formally asks Congress to take action.

Maddy summaryS 1969 establishes an independent Office of the Child Advocate within New Jersey's government to protect children at risk of abuse or neglect. The Child Advocate, appointed by the Governor, investigates state agency responses to abuse/neglect cases, reviews facilities like juvenile detention centers and group homes, and accesses relevant records to ensure adequate services. The office operates a 24-hour hotline for public complaints, conducts oversight of child welfare services, and reports findings to improve system performance. This bill directly affects children in state care, child welfare agencies, and private entities providing child protection services.

Maddy summaryS 455 prohibits public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools in New Jersey from requiring students to wear face masks indoors or outdoors on school property or while riding school buses. The bill directly affects all students attending these schools by removing mandatory mask-wearing rules in those settings. It explicitly allows students to voluntarily wear masks if they choose. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the requirement for dentists to obtain separate $2 branch office registration certificates when practicing at locations other than their primary office. Instead, dentists will simply list all practice locations on their existing annual registration form, which they already submit to the State Board of Dentistry. The change applies to dentists operating multiple locations (excluding hospitals/institutions where dentists don't receive direct compensation). It simplifies the registration process by removing an extra fee and certificate step, while maintaining the obligation to notify the state of all practice locations. The bill directly affects dentists who maintain offices beyond their main practice site.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey's Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, and Union counties (and first-class cities like Newark) to train school staff, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and students to identify and report behaviors signaling potential school violence. Key provisions include creating a threat assessment tool, developing training on recognizing risk behaviors, setting up immediate reporting mechanisms, and establishing procedures to address threats. The program requires annual evaluation reports to the Governor and Legislature, with recommendations on whether to expand it statewide. It aims to prevent school violence through early intervention, funded by state appropriations.

Maddy summaryThis bill upgrades burglary of a residence (home or structure adapted for overnight living) to a second-degree crime in New Jersey, making it more serious than the previous third-degree classification. If the burglar is armed with a weapon or explosives during the offense, it becomes a first-degree crime. Previously, burglary of a residence was typically a third-degree crime unless the burglar was armed or caused injury. This change directly affects individuals committing burglaries in homes or similar overnight accommodations, increasing potential penalties.