Bill Would Increase Fines For Mufflers Modified To Be Noisy

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Senator Jim Holzapfel

10th Legislative District, Serving Toms River

TRENTON - The Senate Transportation Committee approved legislation sponsored by Senator Jim Holzapfel that would increase penalties for modifying car mufflers or exhaust systems to make them excessively noisy.

“Across New Jersey, many communities and neighborhoods are being disturbed by cars that have excessively loud and illegal exhaust systems,” said Holzapfel (R-10th). “The noise generated by these cars is incredibly disruptive, especially at night. This legislation will hold people accountable for installing these systems, which do nothing but increase noise pollution, and help bring some peace and quiet back to our streets.” on a generic/biosimilar formulary pricing tier and name-brand drugs to be placed on a brand tier, with the generic tier having a lower insurance cost-sharing requirement for patients than the name-brand tier. A new tier for specialty generics or biosimilars that would also have a lower insurance cost-sharing requirement for patients.

Holzapfel’s bill, S-2674, would prohibit the installation or modification of the muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which amplifies or increases the noise emitted by the original muffler or exhaust system.

Under current law, the penalty for unauthorized installation of a device that causes the exhaust system to become louder is $25. S-2674 would increase the penalty to $500.

The bill also requires motor vehicle inspections to include the inspection of mufflers and exhaust systems for excessive or unusual noise.

Sen. Menendez has long advocated for creating a more affordable health care system for every New Jerseyan and Americans across the country. Last year, he helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped the price of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare, and he authored aprovision that also capped Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 a year.

Earlier this month, Sen. Menendez, alongside Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Okla.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), led the introduction of the Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act to delink the compensation of PBMs from drug price and utilization in order to better align incentives that will help lower prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. At a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing, the Senator pressed the witnesses about the impacts vertical integration of PBMs, pricing transparency, and insurer consolidation have on health care consumers. In March, Sen. Menendez questioned witnesses during a Senate Finance Committee about the impact PBMs have on the prescription drug supply chain and how their warped incentive structure drives up prices for patients and consumers. The Senator emphasized how PBMs prefer prescription drugs with a higher list price versus those with a lower list price because they can obtain larger rebates. PBMs do this even though the patient would pay significantly less if they selected the drug with the lower list price.

This April, Sens. Wyden and Crapo released a legislative framework to address PBMs and issues with the prescription drug supply chain. This framework aims to modernize and enhance federal prescription drug programs, with the goal of reducing drug costs for patients and taxpayers. Sen. Menendez will work to include the PBM Act and the Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act in any drug pricing package that the Senate considers.

Retinal Distress

Sudden brightness in your eyesight may be a sign of problems with your retina. It can come in the form of well-lit marks in your direct line of vision or flashes of light that make things temporarily brighter. When the light flashes happen frequently and are accompanied by floaters (tiny black or gray spots that drift across your vision), they may be a symptom of a detached retina or pressure on the retina, which can cause vision loss if left untreated. Migraines can also cause flashes of light that last for over minutes, even if you aren’t experiencing any kind of headache pain. If flashes of light occur after any type of head injury, immediate treatment should be sought.

A retinal examination is where we examine the back of your eye, including your retina, optic disc, choroid and blood vessels. We may use special eye drops to dilate your pupils, opening them wider so we can see the back part of your eye. The effects of these drops will not wear off for several hours. Your vision will be blurry, and you’ll have trouble focusing your eyes. Depending on your job, you might not be able to return to work immediately after your exam. To schedule an exam, please call SIGHTMD NEW JERSEY SUSSKIND & ALMALLAH EYE ASSOCIATES at 732-349-5622. We offer evening hours most nights of the week.

P.S. Flashes of light or increased brightness are not the same as light sensitivity and have nothing to do with sunlight.