Bill Text: NJ S1639 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Upgrades penalties for drag racing.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-06-10 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [S1639 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1639-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ANDREW R. CIESLA
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Stack
SYNOPSIS
Upgrades penalties for drag racing.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning motor vehicle racing, supplementing chapter 40 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, and repealing P.L.1955, c.217.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A person who shall operate or attempt or agree to operate a motor vehicle on a public highway in a race with any other motor vehicle or for the purpose of making a speed record or who shall arrange for, manage, encourage, or assist in, the holding of, or the attempting to hold, any such race or speed race event, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. In addition to any other penalties allowed by law, the court shall impose a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 for the first offense and for each subsequent offense a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000.
2. P.L.1955, c.217 (C.39:5C-1) is repealed.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would upgrade the penalties for drag racing. Under current law, a person who is convicted of operating a motor vehicle on a public highway in a race with another motor vehicle, or to make a speed record, is fined for a first offense at least $25, but not more than $100. For a second offense, the fine is at least $100, but not more than $200, a term of imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both.
Under the bill, drag racing would be a crime of the fourth degree and would be allocated to Title 2C, the criminal code. Crimes of the fourth degree are punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. The bill also increases the additional fines imposed to between $500 and $1,000 for a first offense, and to between $1,000 and $2,000 for a second or subsequent offense. The current statute, P.L.1955, c.217 (C.39:5C-1) is repealed.
