Bill Text: NJ A3238 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Qualifies certain disabled veterans for toll rate exemptions and exemptions from motor vehicle registration fees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A3238 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3238-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
Assemblywoman MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS
District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Sauickie
SYNOPSIS
Qualifies certain disabled veterans for toll rate exemptions and exemptions from motor vehicle registration fees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act qualifying certain disabled veterans for toll rate exemptions and exemptions from motor vehicle registration fees, amending P.L.1948, c.28, and amending and supplementing P.L.1997, c.59.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 6 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.1) is amended to read as follows:
6. As used in sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.1 through C.27:23-34.5), [and] section 3 of P.L.2021, c.251 (C.27:23-34.7), and section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Authority" means the New Jersey Turnpike Authority established by section 3 of P.L.1948, c.454 (C.27:23-3).
"Electronic toll collection system" means the electronic system employed or utilized by the authority to register and collect the toll required to be paid for a vehicle entering a toll plaza owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the authority.
"Lessee" means any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association or organization that rents, leases or contracts for the use of a vehicle and has exclusive use of the vehicle for any period of time.
"Lessor" means any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association or organization engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles to any lessee under a rental agreement, lease or other contract that provides the lessee with the exclusive use of the vehicle for any period of time.
"Operator" means the term "operator" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
"Owner" means the term "owner" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
"Toll collection monitoring system" means a vehicle sensor, placed in a location to work in conjunction with a toll collection facility, that produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a videotape or other recorded images, or a written record, of a vehicle at the time the vehicle is used or operated in a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The term shall also include any other process that identifies a vehicle by photographic, electronic or other method.
"Toll collection monitoring system regulations" means the regulations authorized and adopted pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.2) that prohibit a vehicle from making use of any project except upon the payment of such tolls as may from time to time be prescribed by the authority and that further makes it a violation subject to a civil penalty for any person to refuse to pay, to evade, or to attempt to evade the payment of such tolls, if the violation is recorded by a toll collection monitoring system as defined in this section.
"Vehicle" means the term "vehicle" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.251, s.1)
2. (New section) Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority shall not charge a toll to any customer with an account with the electronic toll collection system, subject to sections 6 through 10 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.1 through C.27:23-34.5), and who is exempt from the payment of motor vehicle registration fees pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1948, c.28 (C.39:3-27.1), on any toll facility operated by the authority.
3. Section 11 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.1) is amended to read as follows:
11. As used in sections 11 through 15 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.1 through C.27:25A-21.5), [and] section 4 of P.L.2021, c.251 (C.27:25A-21.7), and section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Authority" means the South Jersey Transportation Authority established by section 4 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-4).
"Electronic toll collection system" means the electronic system employed or utilized by the authority to register and collect the toll required to be paid for a vehicle entering a toll plaza owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the authority.
"Lessee" means any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association or organization that rents, leases or contracts for the use of a vehicle and has exclusive use of the vehicle for any period of time.
"Lessor" means any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association or organization engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles to any lessee under a rental agreement, lease or other contract that provides the lessee with the exclusive use of the vehicle for any period of time.
"Operator" means the term "operator" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
"Owner" means the term "owner" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
"Toll collection monitoring system" means a vehicle sensor, placed in a location to work in conjunction with a toll collection facility, that produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a videotape or other recorded images, or a written record, of a vehicle at the time the vehicle is used or operated in a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The term shall also include any other process that identifies a vehicle by photographic, electronic or other method.
"Toll collection monitoring system regulations" means the regulations authorized and adopted pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.2) that prohibit a vehicle from making use of any project except upon the payment of such tolls as may from time to time be prescribed by the authority and that further makes it a violation subject to a civil penalty for any person to refuse to pay, to evade, or to attempt to evade the payment of such tolls, if the violation is recorded by a toll collection monitoring system as defined in this section.
"Vehicle" means the term "vehicle" as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.251, s.2)
4. (New section) Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the South Jersey Transportation Authority shall not charge a toll to any customer with an account with the electronic toll collection system, subject to sections 11 through 15 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.1 through C.27:25A-21.5), and who is exempt from the payment of motor vehicle registration fees pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1948, c.28 (C.39:3-27.1), on any toll facility operated by the authority.
5. Section 1 of P.L.1948, c.28 (C.39:3-27.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. No fee shall be charged for the registration, in any year or years, of one motor vehicle of passenger type, which is not to be used for hire, owned by any resident of the State of New Jersey, individually or jointly with a spouse[;] :
(1) who is eligible for compensation pursuant to [R.S. 38:18-1, 38:18-2 and 38:18-3,] R.S.38:18-1, R.S.38:18-2, R.S.38:18-3, and P.L.1947, c.263 (C.38:18A-1 et seq.);
(2) who has qualified or shall qualify under the provisions of Public Law 663-79th Congress of the United States of America (August 8, 1946) or of Public Law 187--82nd Congress of the United States of America (October 20, 1951) or who is a veteran of World War I with service-connected disabilities of the kind set forth in said Public Laws, and who is the holder of a current driver's license issued by this State, if such motor vehicle is equipped with such special attachments and devices as the [Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Law and Public Safety] Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may deem necessary to provide for the safe operation thereof by such person[, or] ;
(3) who is the holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor, which registration shall be evidenced by distinctive license plates of a design approved by the [Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles,] chief administrator; or
(4) who has completed a VA 21-4502 form and has been approved by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to receive an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment pursuant to 38 U.S.C. s.3901 et seq.
(cf: P.L.1979, c.122, s.1)
6. This act shall take effect on the first day of the 13th month following enactment, however the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and the Executive Director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority may take such anticipatory actions, including the coordination of any administrative actions, as may be required for the timely implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill qualifies certain disabled veterans for toll rate exemptions and exemptions from motor vehicle registration fees.
The bill expands the motor vehicle registration fee exemption from disabled veterans, who had taken part in World War II, the Korean Conflict between 1950 and 1953, and the Vietnam Conflict between 1960 and 1974, and who receive compensation as result of the loss of use of one or more limbs as result of military service, to include disabled veterans, who have completed a VA 21-4502 form and have been approved by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to receive an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.
The bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority to not charge a toll to any customer with an account with the electronic toll collection system, commonly known as E-ZPass, and who is exempt from the payment of motor vehicle registration fees, on the State's three toll roads, the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, and the Atlantic City Expressway.
