Dan Benson

State lawmakers are approving a $50.64 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts Friday, including $2 billion to expand property tax rebates and credits and a $6 billion surplus to guard against a possible economic downturn.

A pilot program spending $15 million a year for three years on electric school buses survives criticism and is passed by the Assembly.

Since reopening during the pandemic, the Motor Vehicle Commission has had licenses-only and vehicles-only agencies. An advancing bill would end that.

"There's nothing really magical or special about the registration card that says it couldn't be done easily," said Assemblyman Daniel Benson, D-Mercer.

Teenage drivers would have to complete at least 50 hours of practice driving in a year, including 10 hours when it’s dark, in order to become eligible for a probationary license under a bill endorsed by an Assembly committee Monday.

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, who chairs the budget committee, said it’s going to be a long summer.

Legislation introduced by Asm. Dan Benson, the chair of the Assembly Transportation committee, would require more stringent reporting by people applying to work as drivers.

Assemblyman Dan Benson said subsidies of up to $5,000 per vehicle could be available starting in the summer. They’d be equal to $25 per mile of the vehicle’s range.

Assemblyman Herb Conaway said vaping is harmful to health just as cigarettes are – but that while cigarettes kill people slowly over time, vaping can quickly do harm.

Train engineers and conductors are earning $200,000 a year thanks to overtime and retro payments. Explore the list and data.