Bill Text: NJ A2615 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires appointments for safety-related recalls on vehicles to be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-06-02 - Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading [A2615 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A2615-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblyman PAUL D. MORIARTY
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Require lessors of vehicles to respond to safety-related recalls within 60 days.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning safety-related recalls on leased vehicles and supplementing P.L.1994, c.190 (C.56:12-60 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Whenever a safety-related recall is issued on a leased vehicle, the lessor shall make, or arrange for the completion of, the necessary repairs to the vehicle within 60 days of initially becoming aware of the recall. If the necessary repairs are not completed within that 60-day time period, the lessor shall either:
(1) replace the vehicle, for the duration of the lease, with a similar vehicle of the same make, model, and style, which is not subject to the safety-related recall or on which the necessary repairs have already been completed; or
(2) allow the lessee to terminate the lease with no penalty or cost to the lessee.
b. A violation of this section shall be a violation of the "Consumer Protection Leasing Act," P.L.1994, c.190 (C.56:12-60 et seq.).
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require lessors of vehicles to respond to safety-related recalls on the vehicles they lease within 60 days. Under this bill, whenever a safety-related recall is issued on a leased vehicle, the lessor would have to make or arrange for the necessary repairs within 60 days of initially becoming aware of the recall.
The bill specifies that if the necessary repairs are not completed within that time period, the lessor would either have to replace the vehicle with a similar one or allow the lessee to terminate the lease with no penalty or cost.
Violations of the bill would be violations of the Consumer Protection Leasing Act, and thereby considered unlawful practices under the Consumer Fraud Act. An unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud Act is punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, a violation can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured.
