Bill Text: NJ S2959 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes crime for failing to disclose infection from virus associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, or related viral strain in subsequent years, to transportation network company driver prior to entering vehicle for electronically-coordinated prearranged ride.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-09-24 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S2959 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2959-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes crime for failing to disclose infection from virus associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, or related viral strain in subsequent years, to transportation network company driver prior to entering vehicle for electronically-coordinated prearranged ride.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a crime for failing to disclose infection from the virus associated with the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, or related viral strain to that virus in subsequent years, to a transportation network company driver under certain circumstances, and supplementing chapter 34 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if, after using a transportation network company's digital network to connect with a transportation network company driver for a prearranged ride in that driver's personal vehicle, but prior to that person entering the vehicle, or prior to any other passenger for whom the prearranged ride is made entering the vehicle, the person knowingly fails to disclose to the driver that the person, or any other passenger, is currently diagnosed as being infected with the virus SARS-CoV-2 or the disease caused by the virus, Coronavirus disease 2019, also referred to as COVID-19, or currently diagnosed as being infected with a related viral strain to that virus or a disease caused by the related viral strain in subsequent years. The disclosure may be made to the driver using the transportation network company's digital network prior to the driver's arrival at the location to transport the person or any other passenger, if that means of communication is available using the network, or made to the driver upon the driver's arrival at the location to transport the person or any other passenger.
As used in this section, the terms "digital network," "personal vehicle," "prearranged ride," "transportation network company," and "transportation network company driver" mean the same as those terms are defined in section 2 of P.L.2017, c.26 (C.39:5H-2).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would create a new crime for knowingly failing to disclose being currently diagnosed as infected with the virus SARS-CoV-2 or the disease caused by the virus, Coronavirus disease 2019, also referred to as COVID-19, or currently diagnosed as being infected with a related viral strain to that virus or a disease caused by the related viral strain in subsequent years, after using a transportation network company's digital network to connect with a transportation network company driver for a prearranged ride in that driver's personal vehicle. The disclosure would have to be made to the driver prior to the person entering the vehicle, or prior to any other passenger for whom the prearranged ride is made entering the vehicle. The disclosure could be made using the transportation network company's digital network prior to the driver's arrival at the location to transport the person or any other passenger, if that means of communication was available using the network, or made upon the driver's arrival at the location to transport the person or any other passenger. The transportation-related terms used in the bill, which describe companies such as Lyft and Uber, are based upon those terms as defined in the "Transportation Network Company Safety and Regulatory Act," P.L.2017, c.26 (C.39:5H-1 et al.), which provides oversight for such companies.
The failure to disclose the diagnosis to a driver would be graded a crime of the fourth degree, making the crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
