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A 551

Establishes a central business district toll exemption for certain police officers

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Griffin and 2 co-sponsors

Expands consumer cancellation rights by giving older adults and people with intellectual disabilities a longer, early-cancel period for home improvements and certain goods.

REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS
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Bill Summary · A 551

Note: the bill content provided concerns changes to consumer cancellation rights for home‑improvement and certain consumer goods contracts. (The header title you supplied — “central business district toll exemption for certain police officers” — appears to be unrelated to the text below.)

Summary — A551 (2024-2025 session)

Purpose
- Expand cancellation (right‑to‑rescind) protections for certain vulnerable consumers by extending the time they have to cancel home improvement contracts and by creating a short cancellation right for certain purchases of goods.

Key provisions
- Home improvement contracts (general)
- Requires written contracts for home improvement jobs over $500 that are signed by all parties and clearly state terms, including: contractor business name/address/registration, license number(s) for any licensed home‑improvement contractor, a copy of the contractor business’s commercial general liability insurance certificate (with insurer phone number), and total price (including finance charges).
- Contracts must contain a conspicuous cancellation notice: printed in at least 10‑point bold type explaining the applicable cancellation period(s) and the steps to cancel.

  • Expanded cancellation periods (vulnerable consumers)

    • Consumers aged 60 or older, and consumers with an intellectual disability (regardless of age), may cancel a home improvement contract for any reason before midnight of the fifth business day after receiving a copy of the signed contract. (All other consumers retain the existing 3‑business‑day cancellation right.)
    • All funds paid pursuant to a cancelled home improvement contract must be refunded within 30 days of receipt of the cancellation notice.
    • All goods delivered under a cancelled home improvement contract must be returned within 30 days of cancellation.
    • If the consumer executed credit or a loan through the contractor, that agreement or note is cancelled without penalty and written notice of cancellation must be mailed to the consumer within 30 days.

  • New short cancellation right for consumer goods contracts

    • A consumer aged 60+ or a consumer with an intellectual disability may cancel any contract for the sale of goods priced at $500 or more for any reason before midnight of the third business day after entering into the contract.
    • Refunds and return timelines mirror the home‑improvement rules: refunds within 30 days; delivered goods returned within 30 days.
    • The provision does not apply to contracts related to sale/purchase of real estate or real estate brokerage services.
    • Consumers may waive the three‑day cancellation period consistent with applicable law.

Who is affected
- Consumers aged 60+ and consumers with intellectual disabilities (the primary beneficiaries).
- Home‑improvement contractors and contractor businesses (additional disclosure, notice, refund and return obligations).
- Merchants selling goods priced $500+ (new limited rescission right for certain consumers).
- Lenders/creditors used to finance such contracts (must cancel financing without penalty and notify consumers within 30 days).

Procedural / timeline details
- Effective date: the act takes effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment and applies to contracts entered on or after that date.
- Legislative status (selected actions):
- Introduced in Assembly: Jan 9, 2024.
- Reported from committee with amendments and substitute versions during 2024–2025 (age changed from 65 to 60 in substitutes).
- Passed Assembly 80–0–0: Jun 30, 2025.
- Referred in the Senate to relevant committees; received in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce Committee Oct 20, 2025.
- Companion/related bills: S1046, S3516; prior-session measures A3341, A9854.

Potential impacts
- Increases consumer protections and decision time for older adults and people with intellectual disabilities.
- Adds compliance obligations and potential short‑term cash‑flow effects for contractors/merchants (refunds, returns, disclosure updates).
- Limits applicability explicitly to exclude real estate brokerage and real estate sale/purchase contracts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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