NJ May Soon be Pumping Its Own Gas

The decades-old ban on pumping your own gas in New Jersey may finally be over.

The proposal is a bi-partisan push to make filling your tank easier for those who live and work the Garden State. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon from Red Bank tells CBS News that it's about convenience and savings. Drivers no longer have the patience to wait for an attendant to pump their gas, especially since the process isn't exactly rocket science.

O'Scanion says that he's not trying to eliminate jobs. The proposed law will force all gas stations to keep at least one full-service island for 3 years. After that, the law will allow gas stations to decide whether they want to employ gas pumpers or not. The Assemblyman says it should be their decision, not the government's.

There seems to be public support for the bill. Lawmakers also seem very open to lifting the ban. In fact, there has been no enforcement

The state Senate received the bill on Friday. If it passes through both houses and the governor's desk, it could go into effect by the end of the year. If the ban is lifted, Oregon would be the only state left in the country that doesn't allow gas station customers to self-serve. Although, that state is also considering a bill that would allow customers in rural areas to pump their own gas.