STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRIS TULLY
District 38 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman SHAMA A. HAIDER
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Murphy and Dunn
SYNOPSIS
Requires NJT to expand or modify routes and hours of certain transportation services and to solicit input from individuals diagnosed with autism.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain New Jersey Transit Corporation transportation services and supplementing Title 27 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Within one year of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall expand or modify the routes and hours of motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, and rail passenger service, as those terms are defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-3), including light rail service, operated by or under contract to the corporation to accommodate the mobility needs of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Prior to expanding or modifying the routes and hours of these services as required by this subsection, the corporation shall solicit and receive advice, input, and guidance for the expansion or modification from individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and their advocates.
b. The corporation shall solicit and receive advice, input, and guidance from individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and their advocates on an annual basis to determine whether the routes and hours of motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, and rail passenger service, as those terms are defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-3), including light rail service, operated by or under contract to the corporation adequately accommodates the mobility needs of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and whether further expansion or modification of the routes and hours are necessary.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) to expand or modify the routes and hours of motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, and rail passenger service, including light rail service, to accommodate the mobility needs of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder within one year of the effective date of the bill. The corporation is required to solicit and receive advice, input, and guidance from individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and their advocates before the corporation expands or modifies the routes and hours of service.
The bill also requires the corporation to solicit and receive, on an annual basis, advice, input, and guidance from individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and their advocates. The advice, input, and guidance is to help the corporation determine whether the routes and hours of motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, and rail passenger service, including light rail service, adequately accommodates the mobility needs of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and whether further expansion or modification of the routes and hours of these services are necessary.