NJ Self-Serve Gas Bill Could Be Halted Amid Senate President's Opposition

NEW JERSEY — Nicholas Scutari, state Senate president and Democratic representative of New Jersey's 22nd District, is speaking out against a bill that would allow New Jerseyans to pump their own gas — a stance that could halt the bill from becoming law.

The Garden State is currently the only state where self-serve gas stations are illegal. It requires attendants to fill customers' tanks. Scutari told NJ Monitor that he opposed the new self-serve proposal — for now.

"The people of New Jersey are very clear in wanting to keep the system we have now, and there is no data supporting any contention that moving to a self-service model would save residents money at the pump," Scutari told NJ Monitor.

"However, if the public sentiment changes or there is in fact data showing that it would dramatically reduce costs, I would reconsider," Scutari said.

As Senate president, Scutari is the highest-ranking state lawmaker and decides which bills come up for a vote in his chamber. His stance against the pump-your-own-gas bill — dubbed the "Motor Fueling Choice and Convenience Act" — could ultimately scuttle it.

The bill would not completely abolish full-service stations in New Jersey. It would instead allow stations to offer full-serve or self-serve options or a combination of the two. Stations with more than four pumps would be required to have a full-service option between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Read more: NJ Self-Serve Gas Bill Is About Choice, Assemblymember Says

According to a Rutgers-Eagleton poll conducted two weeks ago, 73 percent of New Jerseyans said they preferred having their gas pumped for them; 22 percent said they preferred self-serve.

So, what is the reason behind the bill?

Gov. Phil Murphy said adding the self-serve option could help ease the pressure on gas station employees, since there are staffing shortages statewide. The labor shortage could result in customers waiting a long time for gas if there are not enough attendants.

Supporters of the bill also argued that allowing a self-serve option would cut the cost of gas in the state. The New Jersey Gasoline-Convenience-Automotive Association estimated that stations could reduce prices by 15 cents per gallon if they're allowed to offer self-service.

But critics argued that there is no guarantee stations will reduce prices even if they required fewer staff.

The average price for regular gas in New Jersey was $4.19 per gallon as of Tuesday, according to AAA. That was lower than the national average price of $4.24.

More information about the Motor Fueling Choice and Convenience Act can be found here.