Bill Text: NJ A3036 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: "Swift Access For Emergency Response Actions Preservation Program (SAFER APP)"; authorizes Attorney General to order turn-by-turn navigation systems to reroute vehicular traffic under certain conditions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-10-21 - Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A3036 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3036-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3036

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman  ELLEN J. PARK

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman  SHAMA A. HAIDER

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Wimberly and Assemblywoman Carter

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     "Swift Access For Emergency Response Actions Preservation Program (SAFER APP)"; authorizes Attorney General to order turn-by-turn navigation systems to reroute vehicular traffic under certain conditions.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee on October 21, 2024, with amendments.

  

An Act concerning turn-by-turn navigation systems and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Swift Access For Emergency Response Actions Preservation Program (SAFER APP)."

 

      2.   As used in P.L.    , c.    (C.      ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

      "Emergency ¹traffic¹ condition" means ¹recurring periods of¹ excessive vehicular traffic that ¹[poses] pose¹ a public safety hazard, including, but not limited to: sustained congestion on highways, streets, and roadways; emergency vehicle dispatch delays; or a demonstrable history of vehicular and pedestrian accidents.

     "Turn-by-turn navigation system" means a software program or online application on a device that uses global positioning system technology to provide a driver with voice-guided or visual instructions on how to arrive at a destination using a motor vehicle.

 

      3.   a.  The governing body of a municipality may adopt a resolution requesting the Attorney General to investigate whether use of turn-by-turn navigation systems by drivers creates an emergency ¹traffic¹ condition within the municipality, which, after adoption, shall be subject to the review of the Commissioner of Transportation, according to law. The commissioner shall approve or disapprove the resolution within 90 days of the date the governing body of a municipality submits the resolution to the commissioner. If the commissioner disapproves the resolution, the commissioner shall describe in writing the reasoning of the disapproval to the governing body of the municipality.

      b.   Upon the approval of the resolution by the commissioner, the Attorney General shall, in consultation with the commissioner and the governing body of the municipality, investigate the traffic conditions described in the resolution to determine whether an emergency ¹traffic¹ condition exists and shall share the results of the investigation with the governing body of the municipality.

      If the Attorney General determines an emergency ¹traffic¹ condition exists, the Attorney General shall notify, electronically and in writing, any person, business, or other entity having ownership or control of a turn-by-turn navigation system of the emergency ¹traffic¹ condition and shall order the person, business, or other entity, when providing instructions to a driver, to detour, reroute, or divert vehicular traffic to remove the emergency ¹traffic¹ condition ¹[, in accordance with]. Following an initial determination that an emergency traffic condition exists, the Attorney General may, from time to time, review the traffic conditions to determine whether the emergency traffic condition continues to exist. 

     c.  Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the Attorney General to determine that an emergency condition exists with regard to the flow of vehicular traffic pursuant to¹ section 1 of P.L.1950, c.70 (C.39:4-213) ¹or any other statute or regulation¹.

 

     4.    Any person, business, or other entity having ownership or control of a turn-by-turn navigation system that ¹provides instructions to a driver and¹ fails to detour, reroute, or divert vehicular traffic to remove the emergency ¹traffic¹ condition after being notified of the emergency ¹traffic¹ condition by the Attorney General shall be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 per day, which may be collected in a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), and which shall be paid to the affected municipality, until the person, business, or other entity complies with the order of the Attorney General.

 

     5.    This act shall take effect immediately.