TEANECK, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers are pushing for greater transparency over who owns properties through limited liability companies, a move that could resonate in Teaneck, where local officials have faced accusations of conflicts of interest involving real estate.

A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Alex Sauickie (R-Ocean) and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex) would require LLCs purchasing residential rental properties to disclose information about their beneficial owners when recording a deed. The proposal is intended to help municipalities identify property owners and enforce local housing rules.

The legislation comes as residents in Teaneck have raised questions about whether members of the Township Council and Planning Board have had personal financial interests in properties affected by municipal decisions.

The allegations involve properties reportedly owned directly by officials or held through layers of LLCs and partnerships. Critics have questioned whether some officials participated in decisions involving their own properties or competing properties.

The proposed state law would not resolve those allegations or determine whether any Teaneck official violated conflict-of-interest rules. But it highlights a broader transparency issue: when property ownership is difficult to trace, residents may have a harder time identifying potential financial connections between real estate and government decisions.

The bill advanced through an Assembly committee on Oct. 5. It would require disclosure of beneficial ownership information for certain LLC-owned residential rental properties when deeds are recorded.

The proposal is part of a broader debate over how much information property owners should have to disclose and how municipalities can hold them accountable.