Bill Text: NJ S2415 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes For-Hire Vehicle License Plate Task Force; requires issuance of uniquely colored license plate for certain for-hire vehicles and registration of certain for-hire vehicles.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-01 - Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [S2415 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S2415-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RONALD L. RICE
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes For-Hire Vehicle License Plate Task Force; requires issuance of uniquely colored license plates for certain for-hire vehicles and registration of certain for-hire vehicles.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain for-hire vehicle license plates and registration, supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, and amending P.L.1979, c.224.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. For the purposes of this section:
"For-hire vehicle" means a motor vehicle operated over the public highways in this State for the transportation of passengers for hire in intrastate or interstate business, including an autocab as defined in R.S.48:16-1, commonly referred to as a taxi, a limousine as defined in R.S.48:16-13 or section 2 of P.L.1997, c.356 (C.48:16-13.1), and a personal motor vehicle used to provide a transportation service to a passenger, for which a fee is paid and is prearranged through a digital network which connects the passenger to the driver of the personal motor vehicle through an online-enabled technology, application, service, website, or system; except that "for-hire vehicle" shall not include:
(1) a vehicle engaged in motorbus regular route service as defined in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-3);
(2) a hotel bus used exclusively for the transportation of hotel patrons to or from local railroad or other common carrier stations, including local airports;
(3) a bus operated for the transportation of enrolled children, and adults only when serving as chaperones, to or from a school, school connected activity, day camp, summer day camp, summer residence camp, nursery school, child care center, pre-school center, or other similar place of education, including "School Vehicle Type I" and "School Vehicle Type II" as defined in R.S.39:1-1;
(4) an autobus with a carrying capacity of not more than 13 passengers, operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the limits of a single municipality or with a carrying capacity of not more than 20 passengers operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the limits of not more than four contiguous municipalities within any county of the fifth or sixth class, which route in either case does not, in whole or part, parallel upon the same street the line of any street railway or traction railway or any other autobus route;
(5) a vehicle used in a "ridesharing" arrangement, as defined by the "New Jersey Ridesharing Act of 1981," P.L.1981, c.413 (C.27:26-1 et al.);
(6) a motor bus owned by, or operated under a contract with, the New Jersey Transit Corporation;
(7) charter bus operations, as defined in R.S.48:4-1;
(8) a vehicle designed to transport eight or more, but fewer than 16, persons, including the driver, which is used exclusively for the transportation of persons between an off-airport parking facility and an airport;
(9) a special paratransit vehicle, as defined in R.S.48:4-1; or
(10) a vehicle that is owned or leased by a "boarding or nursing home," as defined in section 2 of P.L.1977, c.238 (C.26:2H-37), by an "assisted living facility," as defined in section 1 of P.L.2009, c.61 (C.26:2H-12.56), by an adult day health care facility or pediatric day health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et al.), or by any facility or other entity licensed or approved by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Health to render services to New Jersey residents, and which is used to transport eight or more, but fewer than 16 persons, including the driver, to and from recreational and social activities, shopping, and other health care providers.
b. There is hereby established the For-Hire Vehicle License Plate Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to design and select a unique color for license plates to be issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for display on for-hire vehicles as defined pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
c. The task force shall consist of the following five members:
(1) the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, who shall serve ex-officio, or the chief administrator's designee;
(2) one member of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, or its successor committee, to be appointed by the Senate President;
(3) one member of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, or its successor committee, to be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
(4) one member of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee, or its successor committee, to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and
(5) one member of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee, or its successor committee, to be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader.
d. Appointments to the task force shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this section. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force and within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its purposes.
e. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members, but no later than 60 days after the effective date of this section. The task force shall select a chairperson from among its members and shall meet at the call of the chairperson. The task force may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
f. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall provide staff and related support services to the task force. The task force shall be entitled to call upon the services of any State, county, or municipal department, board, commission, or agency as may be available to it for its purposes.
2. (New section) The task force shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than six months following its organizational meeting. The report shall contain the task force's findings and recommendations for the design and color of license plates to be issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for display on for-hire vehicles.
3. (New section) a. For the purposes of this section:
"For-hire vehicle" means a motor vehicle operated over the public highways in this State for the transportation of passengers for hire in intrastate or interstate business, including an autocab as defined in R.S.48:16-1, commonly referred to as a taxi, a limousine as defined in R.S.48:16-13 or section 2 of P.L.1997, c.356 (C.48:16-13.1), and a personal motor vehicle used to provide a transportation service to a passenger, for which a fee is paid and is prearranged through a digital network which connects the passenger to the driver of the personal motor vehicle through an online-enabled technology, application, service, website, or system; except that "for-hire vehicle" shall not include:
(1) a vehicle engaged in motorbus regular route service as defined in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-3);
(2) a hotel bus used exclusively for the transportation of hotel patrons to or from local railroad or other common carrier stations including local airports;
(3) a bus operated for the transportation of enrolled children, and adults only when serving as chaperones, to or from a school, school connected activity, day camp, summer day camp, summer residence camp, nursery school, child care center, pre-school center, or other similar place of education, including "School Vehicle Type I" and "School Vehicle Type II" as defined in R.S.39:1-1;
(4) an autobus with a carrying capacity of not more than 13 passengers operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the limits of a single municipality or with a carrying capacity of not more than 20 passengers operated under municipal consent upon a route established wholly within the limits of not more than four contiguous municipalities within any county of the fifth or sixth class, which route in either case does not, in whole or part, parallel upon the same street the line of any street railway or traction railway or any other autobus route;
(5) a vehicle used in a "ridesharing" arrangement, as defined by the "New Jersey Ridesharing Act of 1981," P.L.1981, c.413 (C.27:26-1 et al.);
(6) a motor bus owned by, or operated under a contract with, the New Jersey Transit Corporation;
(7) charter bus operations, as defined in R.S.48:4-1;
(8) a vehicle designed to transport eight or more, but fewer than 16, persons, including the driver, which is used exclusively for the transportation of persons between an off-airport parking facility and an airport;
(9) a special paratransit vehicle, as defined in R.S.48:4-1; or
(10) a vehicle that is owned or leased by a "boarding or nursing home," as defined in section 2 of P.L.1977, c.238 (C.26:2H-37), by an "assisted living facility," as defined in section 1 of P.L.2009, c.61 (C.26:2H-12.56), by an adult day health care facility or pediatric day health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et al.), or by any facility or other entity licensed or approved by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Health to render services to New Jersey residents, and which is used to transport eight or more, but fewer than 16 persons, including the driver, to and from recreational and social activities, shopping, and other health care providers.
b. The chief administrator shall issue special license plates of a unique color to the owner of a for-hire vehicle that picks up a passenger in the State and transports the passenger to a location within the State or outside the State. The commission may charge the owner of a for-hire vehicle a reasonable fee for issuance of these plates.
c. The chief administrator shall establish a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the license plates of a unique color issued for display on for-hire vehicles in this State pursuant to subsection b. of this section. The commission shall post signs informing the public about the license plates of a unique color at each airport, motorbus, rail, light rail, and ferry terminal and station in the State.
4. Section 12 of P.L.1979, c.224 (C.39:3-19.5) is amended to read as follows:
12. a. Upon the application of any person who owns a limousine service, the [Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles] Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall issue special registration plates of a unique color pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) bearing the word "limousine" in addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law.
b. The special registration plates authorized by [this act] subsection a. of this section shall be issued upon proof, satisfactory to the [director] chief administrator, that the applicant has complied with the provisions of article 2 of chapter 16 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
c. The fee for [such] special limousine registration plates shall be [$10.00] $10 in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of such motor vehicles.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.356, s.19)
5. a. For the purposes of this section:
"Digital network" means an online-enabled technology, application, service, website, or system that is used to connect a passenger to a driver of a for-hire personal motor vehicle.
"For-hire personal motor vehicle" means a personal motor vehicle used to provide a transportation service, for which a fee is paid, to a passenger which is prearranged through a digital network and has a pickup location within the State.
b. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall create and maintain a registry of for-hire personal motor vehicles.
c. Within 30 days of the effective date of this section, the owner of a for-hire personal motor vehicle shall register the for-hire personal motor vehicle with the commission's for-hire personal motor vehicle registry. The commission shall add the for-hire personal motor vehicle to the registry created pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
6. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations to implement the provisions of sections 3 and 5 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and the amendatory provisions of P.L.1979, c.224 (C.39:3-19.5) pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
7. a. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon submission of the task force's report required to be prepared and submitted pursuant to section 2 of this act.
b. Sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month following submission of the task force's report pursuant to section 2 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill creates the For-Hire Vehicle License Plate Task Force to design and select a unique color for licenses plates to be issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) for display on certain for-hire vehicles and requires the Chief Administrator of the MVC (chief administrator) to issue license plates of a unique color for display on certain for-hire vehicles. The bill also requires the MVC to establish a public awareness campaign and create and maintain a for-hire personal motor vehicle registry.
Under the bill, "for-hire vehicle" includes a taxi, limousine, and personal motor vehicle used to provide passenger transportation for which a fee is paid and is prearranged through a digital network.
The task force is to consist of five members: the Chief Administrator of the MVC, or the chief administrator's designee; one member of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee appointed by the Senate President; one member of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; one member of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and one member of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader. The task force is required to submit a report, within six months after its organizational meeting, to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the task force's findings and recommendations for the design and unique color of license plates to be issued for display on for-hire vehicles.
The chief administrator is to issue special license plates of a unique color to the owner of a for-hire vehicle that picks up a passenger in the State and transports the passenger to a location within the State or outside the State. The chief administrator is to establish a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the uniquely colored license plates and to post signs with this information at each airport, motorbus, rail, light rail, and ferry terminal and station.
Under current law, the chief administrator is required to issue limousine registration plates to the owner of a limousine service. The bill requires these limousine registration plates to be uniquely colored.
