ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2456

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 8, 2020

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2456.

      As amended and reported, this bill provides that persons eligible for the Access Link paratransit service, operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit), are automatically eligible for the program that provides motor bus and rail passenger service to senior citizens and persons with disabilities at reduced fares.  The bill requires a person eligible for Access Link service to be issued an identification card for reduced fare eligibility at the same time NJ Transit determines Access Link service eligibility.  If a person has already been determined to be eligible for Access Link prior to the effective date of the bill, the person is to be issued an identification card within 60 days after the effective date of the bill or immediately upon the request of the eligible person, whichever occurs earlier.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to clarify that an identification card for reduced fare eligibility is to be issued to the person eligible for the reduced fare and not to the person’s travel attendant.  The committee amendments also make proper reference to the Director of the Division of Aging Services in the Department of Human Services, make additional grammatical corrections, and provide that an identification card issued to a person determined eligible for Access Link paratransit service prior to the effective date of the bill is to be issued an identification card for reduced fare eligibility within 60 days after the bill’s effective date or immediately upon request, whichever occurs earlier.