New Jersey-2012-S2993-Introduced

An Act establishing a pilot project to install global positioning system (GPS) devices on certain State vehicles.

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

1. a. The State Treasurer shall establish a pilot project to install global positioning system (GPS) devices on certain State vehicles. The pilot project shall have as its purpose the tracking of the use of such State vehicles by public employees and shall have a duration of one year after its establishment.

b. The State Treasurer shall determine:

(1) the scope of the pilot project;

(2) the divisions and agencies within the departments selected to be involved in the pilot project;

(3) the particular GPS device and support system to be acquired and used, and the specific vehicles on which the devices shall be installed;

(4) the vehicle statistics to be collected by the GPS devices chosen, and the geofences, prohibitions and landmarks installed and monitored, if any; and

(5) the treatment or punishment of any public employee who is shown by a GPS device and support system to have used the device, or the vehicle on which it is installed, in a fraudulent, inappropriate or illegal manner.

c. The Treasurer shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than the 120th day following the end of the program a written report, with recommendations, as to:

(1) the scope and results of the program, specifically the number of vehicles and public employees involved, the patterns of use, and any inappropriate or illegal uses of the vehicles;

(2) whether the pilot program should be expanded to additional State departments and agencies for a further assessment of the program, with note of where such an expansion would not be feasible or appropriate; and

(3) whether GPS devices should be installed on all State vehicles used by public employees, and whether tracking the use of such vehicles by GPS devices should be established permanently by law.

2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission of the report to the Governor and the Legislature required pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a pilot project to install global positioning system (GPS) devices on certain State vehicles. The pilot project would have as its purpose the tracking of the use of such State vehicles by public employees and would have a duration of one year after its establishment.

Under the bill, the State Treasurer would determine:

· the scope of the pilot project;

· the divisions and agencies within the departments selected to be involved in the pilot project;

· the particular GPS device and support system to be acquired and used, and the specific vehicles on which the devices would be installed;

· the vehicle statistics to be collected by the GPS devices chosen, and the geofences, prohibitions and landmarks installed and monitored, if any; and

· the treatment or punishment of any public employee who is shown by a GPS device and support system to have used the device, or the vehicle on which it is installed, in a fraudulent, inappropriate or illegal manner.

The bill also provides that the Treasurer is to submit to the Governor and the Legislature no later than the 120th day following the end of the program a written report, with recommendations, as to: 1) the scope and results of the program, specifically the number of vehicles and public employees involved, the patterns of use, and any inappropriate or illegal uses of the vehicles; 2) whether the pilot program should be expanded to additional State departments and agencies for a further assessment of the program, with note of where such an expansion would not be feasible or appropriate; and 3) whether GPS devices should be installed on all State vehicles used by public employees, and whether tracking the use of such vehicles by GPS devices should be established permanently by law.