Bill Text: NJ S3475 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires NJTA and SJTA to provide written notice of toll violations and process for remedying violations prior to issuing administrative fee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-06-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee [S3475 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3475-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires NJTA and SJTA to provide written notice of toll violations and process for remedying violations prior to issuing administrative fee.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning notification of violations of the electronic toll collection monitoring system and amending P.L.1997, c.59.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 8 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.3) is amended to read as follows:
8. a. If a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations is committed as evidenced by a toll collection monitoring system, the authority or the agent of the authority [may] shall send [an advisory and payment request] a written notice within 60 days of the date of the violation to the owner of the vehicle by regular mail at the address of record for that owner with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or with any other motor vehicle licensing authority of another jurisdiction, providing the owner with the opportunity to resolve the matter prior to the issuance of a summons and complaint that charges a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any administrative fee that is associated with a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The [advisory and payment request] written notice shall contain sufficient information to inform the owner of the nature, date, time, and location of the alleged violation, and information pertaining to a process by which the owner may elect to remedy the alleged violation within 30 days of the date the written notice was sent to avoid the issuance of an administrative fee. The authority or its agent may require as part of the [advisory and payment request] written notice that the owner pay to the agent the proper toll [and]. The authority or its agent shall include in the written notice a notification that if the alleged violation is not remedied within the required time period, the owner will be required to pay a reasonable administrative fee established by the authority and based upon the actual cost of processing and collecting the violation. If the owner fails to pay the required toll [and fee] within 30 days of the date the [advisory and payment request] written notice was sent, the owner shall be subject to liability on the 31st day following the date the [advisory and payment request] written notice was sent for the violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations by the vehicle operator pursuant to the issuance of a complaint and summons. The authority or its agent shall not issue any administrative fee to, or collect any administrative fee from, the owner for an alleged violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations unless the written notice required by this subsection has been provided and the time period to remedy the alleged violation has expired.
b. An owner of a vehicle who is a lessor of the vehicle used in violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations of the authority shall not be liable for the violation of the regulations if the lessor submits to the authority, in a timely manner, a copy of the rental agreement, lease, or other contract document covering that vehicle on the date of the violation, with the name and address of the lessee clearly legible to the authority and to the court having jurisdiction over the violation. If the lessor fails to provide the information in a timely manner, the lessor shall be held liable for the violation of the regulations. If the lessor provides the required information to the authority, the lessee of the vehicle on the date of the violation shall be deemed to be the owner of the vehicle for the purposes of sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.1 through C.27:23-34.5) and the toll collection monitoring system regulations and shall be subject to liability for the violation of the regulations.
c. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a certified report of an employee or agent of the authority reporting a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any information obtained from a toll collection monitoring system shall be available for the exclusive use of the authority and any law enforcement official for the purposes of discharging their duties pursuant to sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.1 through C.27:23-34.5) and the toll collection monitoring system regulations. Any such report or information shall not be deemed a public record under P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) or the common law concerning access to public records. The certified reports and information, including but not limited to, any recorded image of any motor vehicle, the license plate of any motor vehicle, or the operator or any passenger in any motor vehicle, shall not be discoverable as a public record by any person, entity, or governmental agency, except upon a subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter, nor shall they be offered in evidence in any civil or administrative proceeding, not directly related to a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations, or in any municipal court prosecution for a violation of any of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes. However, in the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection c. of section 7 of [this act] P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.2), a recorded image of the face of the operator or any passenger in a motor vehicle is produced by the toll collection monitoring system, that image shall not be used by the authority for any purpose, nor shall the image or any record or copy thereof be transmitted or communicated to any person, governmental, non-governmental, or judicial or administrative entity.
d. A complaint and summons charging a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations shall be on a form prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. The authority may authorize by regulation an employee or agent to be a complaining witness to make, sign, and initiate complaints and to issue summonses in the name of the authority on behalf of the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. The complaints and summonses may be made on information based upon evidence obtained by a toll collection monitoring system, the toll collection monitoring system record, and the records of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or of any other state, province, or motor vehicle licensing authority.
Service may be made by means provided by the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey.
Except as provided in subsection c. of this section, the recorded images produced by a toll collection monitoring system shall be considered an official record kept in the ordinary course of business and shall be admissible in a proceeding for a violation of any toll collection monitoring system regulations.
e. The municipal court of the municipality wherein a toll collection monitoring system record was made shall have jurisdiction to hear violations of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. Violations shall be enforced and penalties collected pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). A proceeding and a judgment arising therefrom shall be pursued and entered in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.2B:12-1 et seq. and the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey.
In addition to the civil penalty that may be assessed by a court having jurisdiction for a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations, a court shall require the defendant to pay the proper toll and shall require the defendant to pay a reasonable administrative fee as determined by the authority. Following collection and distribution of the fees set forth in section 11 of P.L.1953, c.22 (C.22A:3-4), any tolls and administrative fees imposed and collected by the court for a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations shall be promptly remitted to the authority by the court. The civil penalty shall be distributed pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.2005, c.62, s.1)
2. Section 13 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.3) is amended to read as follows:
13. a. If a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations is committed as evidenced by a toll collection monitoring system, the authority or the agent of the authority [may] shall send [an advisory and payment request] a written notice within 60 days of the date of the violation to the owner of the vehicle by regular mail at the address of record for that owner with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or with any other motor vehicle licensing authority of another jurisdiction, providing the owner with the opportunity to resolve the matter prior to the issuance of a summons and complaint that charges a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any administrative fee that is associated with a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The [advisory and payment request] written notice shall contain sufficient information to inform the owner of the nature, date, time, and location of the alleged violation, and information pertaining to a process by which the owner may elect to remedy the alleged violation within 30 days of the date the written notice was sent to avoid the issuance of an administrative fee. The authority or its agent may require as part of the [advisory and payment request] written notice that the owner pay to the agent the proper toll [and]. The authority or its agent shall include in the written notice a notification that if the alleged violation is not remedied within the required time period, the owner will be required to pay a reasonable administrative fee established by the authority and based upon the actual cost of processing and collecting the violation. If the owner fails to pay the required toll [and fee] within 30 days of the date the [advisory and payment request] written notice was sent, the owner shall be subject to liability on the 31st day following the date the [advisory and payment request] written notice was sent for the violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations by the vehicle operator pursuant to the issuance of a complaint and summons. The authority or its agent shall not issue any administrative fee to, or collect any administrative fee from, the owner for an alleged violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations unless the written notice required by this subsection has been provided and the time period to remedy the alleged violation has expired.
b. An owner of a vehicle who is a lessor of the vehicle used in violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations of the authority shall not be liable for the violation of the regulations if the lessor submits to the authority, in a timely manner, a copy of the rental agreement, lease, or other contract document covering that vehicle on the date of the violation, with the name and address of the lessee clearly legible to the authority and to the court having jurisdiction over the violation. If the lessor fails to provide the information in a timely manner, the lessor shall be held liable for the violation of the regulations. If the lessor provides the required information to the authority, the lessee of the vehicle on the date of the violation shall be deemed to be the owner of the vehicle for the purposes of sections 11 through 15 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.1 through C.27:25A-21.5) and the toll collection monitoring system regulations and shall be subject to liability for the violation of the regulations.
c. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a certified report of an employee or agent of the authority reporting a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any information obtained from a toll collection monitoring system shall be available for the exclusive use of the authority and any law enforcement official for the purposes of discharging their duties pursuant to sections 11 through 15 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.1 through C.27:25A-21.5) and the toll collection monitoring system regulations. Any such report or information shall not be deemed a public record under P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) or the common law concerning access to public records. The certified reports and information, including but not limited to, any recorded image of any motor vehicle, the license plate of any motor vehicle, or the operator or passenger of any motor vehicle, shall not be discoverable as a public record by any person, entity, or governmental agency, except upon a subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter, nor shall they be offered in evidence in any civil or administrative proceeding, not directly related to a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations, or in any municipal court prosecution for a violation of any of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes. However, in the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection c. of section 12 of [this act] P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.2), a recorded image of the face of the operator or any passenger in a motor vehicle is produced by the toll collection monitoring system, that image shall not be used by the authority for any purpose, nor shall the image or any record or copy thereof be transmitted or communicated to any person, governmental, non-governmental, or judicial or administrative entity.
d. A complaint and summons charging a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations shall be on a form prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. The authority may authorize by regulation an employee or agent to be a complaining witness to make, sign, and initiate complaints and to issue summonses in the name of the authority on behalf of the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. The complaints and summonses may be made on information based upon evidence obtained by a toll collection monitoring system, the toll collection monitoring system record, and the records of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or of any other state, province, or motor vehicle licensing authority.
Service may be made by means provided by the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey.
Except as provided in subsection c. of this section, the recorded images produced by a toll collection monitoring system shall be considered an official record kept in the ordinary course of business and shall be admissible in a proceeding for a violation of any toll collection monitoring system regulations.
e. The municipal court of the municipality wherein a toll collection monitoring system record was made shall have jurisdiction to hear violations of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. Violations shall be enforced and penalties collected pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). A proceeding and a judgment arising therefrom shall be pursued and entered in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.2B:12-1 et seq. and the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey.
In addition to the civil penalty that may be assessed by a court having jurisdiction for a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations, a court shall require the defendant to pay the proper toll and shall require the defendant to pay a reasonable administrative fee as established by the authority. Following collection and distribution of the fees set forth in section 11 of P.L.1953, c.22 (C.22A:3-4), any tolls and administrative fees imposed and collected by the court for a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations shall be promptly remitted to the authority by the court. The civil penalty shall be distributed pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.2005, c.62, s.2)
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month after the month in which P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) is enacted, but the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority may take such anticipatory administrative actions in advance thereof as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to provide a written notice of an alleged toll violation and a process for remedying the toll violation before issuing or collecting any administrative fee.
Specifically, the bill requires the NJTA and SJTA to provide a written notice within 60 days of a toll violation to the owner of the vehicle by regular mail, providing the owner with the opportunity to resolve the matter prior to the issuance of a summons and complaint that charges a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any administrative fee that is associated with a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The written notice is required to contain sufficient information to inform the owner of the nature, date, time, and location of the alleged violation, as well as information pertaining to a process by which the owner may elect to remedy the alleged violation within 30 days of the date the written notice was sent to avoid the issuance of an administrative fee. The NJTA and SJTA are required to include within the written notice, a notification that, if the alleged violation is not remedied within the required time period, the owner will be required to pay a reasonable administrative fee. The bill prohibits the NJTA or SJTA from issuing any administrative fee to, or collecting any administrative fee from, the owner for an alleged violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations unless the written notice has been provided and the time period to remedy the alleged violation has expired.
Current law requires the NJTA or SJTA to provide an advisory and payment request within 60 days of a toll violation. The advisory and payment request requires that the owner of the vehicle pay the proper toll and a reasonable administrative fee.
