A2556

An Act concerning toll enforcement, amending various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing Title 27 and Title 32 of the Revised Statutes.

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

1. Section 10 of P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-34) is amended to read as follows:

10. Except as provided in sections eight and nine of this act, any violation of any of the provisions hereof, including but not limited to those regarding the payment of tolls, and any violation of any regulation adopted by the Authority under the provisions of this act shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding [five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment] $100 for the first violation and not exceeding $600 for each subsequent violation. Such a violation shall be tried in a summary way and shall be within the jurisdiction of and may be brought in the Superior Court or any municipal court where the offense was committed. The rules of the Supreme Court shall govern the practice and procedure in such proceedings, except as provided by any reciprocity agreement entered into by the Authority or by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the Authority, pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Proceedings under this section may be instituted on any day of the week, and the institution of the proceedings on a Sunday or a holiday shall be no bar to the successful prosecution thereof. Any process served on a Sunday or a holiday shall be as valid as if served on any other day of the week.

When imposing any penalty under the provisions of this section the court having jurisdiction shall be guided by the appropriate provisions of any statute adopted at the current session of the Legislature, or hereafter, fixing uniform penalties for violation of certain provisions of the motor vehicle and traffic laws contained in Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

(cf: P.L.2003, c.79, s.35)

2. Section 7 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.2) is amended to read as follows:

7. a. The authority may, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt toll collection monitoring system regulations. The regulations shall include a procedure for processing toll violations and for the treatment of inadvertent violations. [A] In addition to the penalty provided for in section 14 of P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-38), a
person who violates the regulations shall be liable to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed [$500 to be established by the authority] $100 for the first violation and an amount not to exceed $600 for each subsequent violation. The penalty shall be enforced pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).

b. Except as provided in subsection b. of section 8 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.3), an owner of a vehicle shall be jointly and severally liable for the failure of an operator of the vehicle to comply with the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The owner of a vehicle shall be liable if such vehicle was used or operated by the operator with the express or implied permission of the owner when the violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations was committed, and the evidence of the violation is obtained by a toll collection monitoring system. An owner of a vehicle shall not be liable if the operator of the vehicle has been identified and charged with a violation of section 10 of P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-34) for the same incident.

c. A toll collection monitoring system acquired or operated by, or under contract to, the authority shall be so designed that it does not produce one or more photographs, microphotographs, a videotape, or other recorded image or images of the face of the operator or any passenger in a motor vehicle.

(cf: P.L.2003, c.79, s.37)

3. Section 14 of P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-38) is amended to read as follows:

14. In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by other sections of this act, sections 7 and 8 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.2 and C.27:23-34.3), or any other law, rule, regulation, or order of another state or tolling entity with which the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), every registration certificate and every license certificate to drive motor vehicles may be suspended or revoked and any person may be prohibited from obtaining a driver's license or a registration certificate and the reciprocity privileges of a nonresident may be suspended or revoked by the [Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles] Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for a violation of any of the provisions of this act, after due notice in writing of such proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground thereof and after the opportunity to be heard in an administrative proceeding, and otherwise in accordance with the powers, practice, and procedure established by those provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes applicable to such suspension, revocation, or prohibition.

In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by P.L.1951, c.264 (C.27:23-25 et seq.) and sections 7 and 8 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:23-34.2 and C.27:23-34.3), the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

(cf: P.L.1951, c.264, s.14)

4. (New section) The authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located that confirms the following:

a. The other state or out-of-state tolling entity has its own reciprocal procedure for collecting penalties and tolls of the authority by employing sanctions that include denial of a person’s ability to obtain a registration certificate for a motor vehicle;

b. The penalties, exclusive of tolls, claimed by the other state or out-of-state tolling entity against the owner of a motor vehicle registered in this State does not exceed $100 for the first violation or $600 for each subsequent violation;

c. The other state or tolling entity provides due process and appeal protections to avoid the likelihood that a false, mistaken, or unjustified claim will be pursued against an owner of a motor vehicle registered in this State;

d. An owner of a motor vehicle registered in this State may present evidence to the other state or tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means or in-person in an administrative proceeding before the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commissionto invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

e. The parties to the reciprocity agreement each may charge the other party a fee sufficient for each party to recoup the costs of collection services, including costs incurred by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the agency that registers motor vehicles in the other state.

5. Section 21 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-21) is amended to read as follows:

21. a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection a. of section 19 of [this act] P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-19), no vehicle shall be permitted to make use of any expressway project except upon the payment of the tolls as may from time to time be prescribed by the authority. It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to pay, or to evade or to attempt to evade the payment of the tolls.

b. No vehicle shall be operated on any project carelessly or recklessly, or in disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution or prudence, or in a manner so as to endanger unreasonably or to be likely to endanger unreasonably persons or property, while the operator thereof is under the influence of intoxicating liquors or any narcotic or habit-forming drug, nor shall any vehicle be so constructed, equipped, lacking in equipment, loaded, or operated in such a condition of disrepair as to endanger unreasonably or to be likely to endanger unreasonably persons or property.

c. A person operating a vehicle on any project shall operate at a careful and prudent speed, having due regard to the rights and safety of others and to the traffic, surface and width of the highway, and any other conditions then existing; and no person shall operate a vehicle on any project at a speed as to endanger life, limb, or property; except that it shall be prima facie lawful for a driver of a vehicle to operate it at a speed not exceeding a speed limit which is designated by the authority as a reasonable and safe speed limit, when appropriate signs giving notice of that speed limit are erected at the roadside or otherwise posted for the information of operators of vehicles.

d. No person shall operate a vehicle on any project at a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation thereof.

e. No person shall operate a vehicle on any project in violation of any speed limit designated by regulation adopted by the authority.

f. All persons operating vehicles upon any project [must] shall at all times comply with any lawful order, signal, or direction by voice or hand of any police officer engaged in the direction of traffic upon such project. When traffic on a project is controlled by traffic lights, signs, or by mechanical or electrical signals, those lights, signs, and signals shall be obeyed unless a police officer directs otherwise.

g. All persons operating vehicles upon any project, or seeking to do so, [must] shall at all times comply with regulations, not inconsistent with the other sections of this act, adopted by the authority concerning types, weights, and sizes of vehicles permitted to use the project, and with regulations adopted by the authority for or prohibiting the parking of vehicles, concerning the making of turns and the use of particular traffic lanes, together with any and all other regulations adopted by the authority to control traffic and prohibit acts hazardous in their nature or tending to impede or block the normal and reasonable flow of traffic upon the project; except that prior to the adoption of any regulation for the control of traffic on any project, including the designation of any speed limits, the authority shall investigate and consider the need for and desirability of the regulation for the safety of persons and property, including the authority's property, and the contribution which that regulation would make toward the efficient and safe handling of traffic and use of the project, and shall determine that the regulation is necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes or one or some of them, and that upon or prior to the effective date of the regulation and during its continuance, notice thereof shall be given to the drivers of vehicles by appropriate signs erected at the roadside or otherwise posted. The authority may adopt regulations referred to in this section in accordance with the provisions hereof and in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act." Regulations adopted by the authority pursuant to the provisions of this section shall insofar as practicable, having due regard to the features of the project and the characteristics of traffic thereon and except as to maximum or minimum speed limits, be consistent with the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes applicable to similar subjects. The authority shall have power to amend, supplement, or repeal any regulation adopted by it under the provisions of this section. No regulation and no amendment, or supplement thereto, or repealer thereof adopted by the authority shall take effect until it is filed with the Office of Administrative Law, by the filing of a copy thereof certified by the secretary of the authority.

h. The operator of any vehicle upon a project involved in an incident resulting in injury or death to any person or damage to any property shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the incident, render assistance as may be needed, and give his name, address, and operator's license and motor vehicle registration number to the person injured and to any officer or witness of the injury and shall make a report of the incident in accordance with law.

i. No person shall transport in or upon any expressway project, any dynamite, nitroglycerin, black powder, fireworks, blasting caps, or other explosives, gasoline, alcohol, ether, liquid shellac, kerosene, turpentine, formaldehyde, or other inflammable or combustible liquids, ammonium nitrate, sodium chlorate, wet hemp, powdered metallic magnesium, nitro-cellulose film, peroxides, or other readily inflammable solids or oxidizing materials, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or other corrosive liquids, prussic acid, phosgene, arsenic, carbolic acid, potassium cyanide, tear gas, lewisite, or any other poisonous substances, liquids, or gases, or any compressed gas, or any radioactive article, substance, or material, at a time or place or in a manner or condition as to endanger unreasonably or as to be likely to endanger unreasonably persons or property.

j. If the violation of any provision of this section or the violation of any regulation adopted by the authority under the provisions of this section would have been a violation of law or ordinance if committed on any public road, street, or highway in the municipality in which the violation occurred, it shall be tried and punished in the same manner as if it had been committed in that municipality.

k. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection j. of this section, if the violation of the provisions of subsection i. of this section shall result in injury or death to a person or persons or damage to property in excess of the value of $5,000, that violation shall constitute a crime of the third degree.

l. Except as provided in subsection j. or k. of this section, any violation of any of the provisions of this section, including but not limited to those regarding the payment of tolls, and any violation of any regulation adopted by the authority under the provisions of this section shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding [$500 or by imprisonment not exceeding 30 days or by both] $100 for the first violation and not exceeding $600 for each subsequent violation. A violation shall be tried in a summary way and shall be within the jurisdiction of and may be brought in the Special Civil Part of the Law Division of the Superior Court or any municipal court in the county where the offense was committed. The rules of the Supreme Court shall govern the practice and procedure in such proceedings, except as provided by any reciprocity agreement entered into by the authority or by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the authority, pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Proceedings under this section may be instituted on any day of the week, and the institution of the proceedings on a Sunday or a holiday shall be no bar to the successful prosecution thereof. Any process served on a Sunday, or a holiday shall be as valid as if served on any other day of the week. When imposing any penalty under the provisions of this subsection the court having jurisdiction shall be guided by the appropriate provisions of any statute fixing uniform penalties for violation of provisions of the motor vehicle and traffic laws contained in Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

m. In any prosecution for violating a regulation of the authority adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section, copies of that regulation when authenticated under the seal of the authority by its secretary or assistant secretary shall be evidence in like manner and equal effect as the original.

n. No resolution or ordinance adopted by the governing body of any county or municipality for the control and regulation of traffic shall be applicable to vehicles while upon any expressway project operated by the authority.

o. In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by other subsections of this section, sections 12 and 13 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.2 and C.27:25A-21.3), or any other law, rule, regulation, or order of another state or tolling entity with which the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), every registration certificate and every license certificate to drive motor vehicles may be suspended or revoked and any person may be prohibited from obtaining a driver's license or a registration certificate and the reciprocity privileges of a nonresident may be suspended or revoked by the [Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles] Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for a violation of any of the provisions of this section, after due notice in writing of the proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground thereof and after the opportunity to be heard during an administrative proceeding, all otherwise in accordance with the powers, practice, and procedure established by the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes applicable to the suspension, revocation, or prohibition.

In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by this section and sections 12 and 13 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.2 and C.27:25A-21.3), the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

p. Except as otherwise provided by this section or by any regulation of the authority adopted in accordance with the provisions of this section, the requirements of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes applicable to persons using, driving, or operating vehicles on the public highways of this State and to vehicles so used, driven, or operated shall be applicable to persons using, driving, or operating vehicles on any expressway project and to vehicles so used, driven, or operated.

(cf: P.L.1991, c.252, s.21)

6. Section 12 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.2) is amended to read as follows:

12. a. The authority may, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt toll collection monitoring system regulations. The regulations shall include a procedure for processing toll violations and for the treatment of inadvertent violations. [A] In addition to the penalty provided for in subsection o. of section 21 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-21), a person who violates the regulations shall be liable to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed [$500 to be established by the authority] $100 for the first violation and an amount not to exceed $600 for each subsequent violation. The penalty shall be enforced pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).

b. Except as provided in subsection b. of section 13 of P.L.1997, c.59 (C.27:25A-21.3), an owner of a vehicle shall be jointly and severally liable for the failure of an operator of the vehicle to comply with the toll collection monitoring system regulations. The owner of a vehicle shall be liable if such vehicle was used or operated by the operator with the express or implied permission of the owner when the violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations was committed, and the evidence of the violation is obtained by a toll collection monitoring system. An owner of a vehicle shall not be liable if the operator of the vehicle has been identified and charged with a violation of section 21 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-21) for the same incident.

(cf: P.L.2003, c.79, s.47)

7. (New section) The authority or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located that confirms the following:

d. An owner of a motor vehicle registered in this State may present evidence to the other state or tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means or in-person in an administrative proceeding before the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

8. (New section) a. The Governor is authorized to enter into a supplemental compact or agreement, on behalf of the State of New Jersey, with the State of New York supplementing the compact of April 30, 1921, between the states of New York and New Jersey, as amended and supplemented, creating the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as set forth in sections 9 and 10 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the legislature as this bill).

b. The Governor is authorized to apply, on behalf of the State of New Jersey, to the Congress of the United States for its consent and approval to the amendments to this compact or agreement provided in sections 9 and 10 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), but in the absence of such consent and approval, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey referred to in such supplemental compact or agreement shall have all of the powers which the State of New York and the State of New Jersey may confer upon it without the consent and approval of Congress.

9. (New section) In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by any law of the State of New Jersey or the State of New York concerning the nonpayment of tolls to the port authority, any rule, regulation, or order of the port authority concerning the nonpayment of tolls, or any other law, rule, regulation, or order of another state or tolling entity with which the port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the port authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement, any motor vehicle registration certificate may be suspended or revoked and any person may be prohibited from obtaining a motor vehicle registration certificate by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles for the nonpayment of tolls to the port authority, after due notice in writing of such proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground thereof and after the opportunity to be heard in an administrative proceeding.

10. (New section) The port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the port authority, may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the port authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located that confirms the following:

a. The other state or out-of-state tolling entity has its own reciprocal procedure for collecting penalties and tolls of the port authority by employing sanctions that include denial of a person’s ability to obtain a registration certificate for a motor vehicle;

b. The penalties, exclusive of tolls, claimed by the other state or out-of-state tolling entity against the owner of a motor vehicle registered in New York or New Jersey does not exceed $100 for the first violation or $600 for each subsequent violation;

d. An owner of a motor vehicle registered in New York or New Jersey may present evidence to the other state or tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred or an owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey may present evidence in-person in an administrative proceeding before the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

e. The parties to the reciprocity agreement each may charge the other party a fee sufficient for each party to recoup the costs of collection services, including costs incurred by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, or the agency that registers motor vehicles in the other state.

11. (New section) a. The Governor is authorized to enter into a supplemental compact or agreement, on behalf of the State of New Jersey, with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supplementing the compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey entitled “Agreement Between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission as a body corporate and politic and defining its powers and duties,” as set forth in sections 12 and 13 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill.

b. The Governor is authorized to apply, on behalf of the State of New Jersey, to the Congress of the United States for its consent and approval to the amendments to this compact or agreement provided in sections 12 and 13 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), but in the absence of such consent and approval, the Delaware River Port Authority shall have all of the powers which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey may confer upon it without the consent and approval of Congress.

12. (New section) In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by any law of the State of New Jersey or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania concerning the nonpayment of tolls to the port authority, any rule, regulation, or order of the port authority concerning the nonpayment of tolls, or any other law, rule, regulation, or order of another state or tolling entity with which the port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on behalf of the port authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement, any motor vehicle registration certificate may be suspended or revoked and any person may be prohibited from obtaining a motor vehicle registration certificate by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a violation of any law, rule, regulation, or order governing the nonpayment of tolls to the port authority, after due notice in writing of such proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground thereof and after the opportunity to be heard in an administrative proceeding.

13. (New section) The port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on behalf of the port authority, may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the port authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on behalf of the port authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located that confirms the following:

b. The penalties, exclusive of tolls, claimed by the other state or out-of-state tolling entity against the owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey or Pennsylvania does not exceed $100 for the first violation or $600 for each subsequent violation;

d. An owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey or Pennsylvania may present evidence to the other state or tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurredor an owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey may present evidence in-person in an administrative proceeding before the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

e. The parties to the reciprocity agreement each may charge the other party a fee sufficient for each party to recoup the costs of collection services, including costs incurred by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, or the agency that registers motor vehicles in the other state.

14. (New section) a. The Governor is authorized to enter into a supplemental compact or agreement, on behalf of the State of New Jersey, with the State of Delaware supplementing the compact or agreement between the State of Delaware and the State of New Jersey known as the “Delaware-New Jersey Compact,” as set forth in sections 15 and 16 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

b. The Governor is hereby authorized to apply on behalf of the State of New Jersey to the Congress of the United States for its consent and approval to the amendments to this compact or agreement provided in sections 15 and 16 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), but in the absence of such consent and approval, the Delaware River and Bay Authority shall have all the powers the State of Delaware and the State of New Jersey may confer upon it without the consent and approval of Congress.

15. (New section) In addition to any punishment or penalty provided by any law of the State of New Jersey or the State of Delaware concerning the nonpayment of tolls to the authority, any rule, regulation, or order of the authority concerning the nonpayment of tolls, or any other law, rule, regulation, or order of another state or tolling entity with which the authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement, any motor vehicle registration certificate may be suspended or revoked and any person may be prohibited from obtaining a motor vehicle registration certificate by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles for a violation of any law, rule, regulation, or order governing the nonpayment of tolls to the authority, after due notice in writing of such proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground thereof and after the opportunity to be heard in an administrative proceeding.

16. (New section) The authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the authority, may collect the civil penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity if the authority, or the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles on behalf of the authority, has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located that confirms the following:

b. The penalties, exclusive of tolls, claimed by the other state or out-of-state tolling entity against the owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey or Delaware does not exceed $100 for the first violation or $600 for each subsequent violation;

d. An owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey or Delaware may present evidence to the other state or tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred or an owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey may present evidence in-person in an administrative proceeding before the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

e. The parties to the reciprocity agreement each may charge the other party a fee sufficient for each party to recoup the costs of collection services, including costs incurred by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, or the agency that registers motor vehicles in the other state.

17. a. Sections 1 through 7 of this act shall take effect immediately.

b. Sections 8 through 10 of this act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the State of New York of legislation having an identical effect as sections 8 through 10 of this act; but if the State of New York shall already have enacted such legislation, sections 8 through 10 of this act shall take effect immediately.

c. Sections 11 through 13 of this act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of legislation having an identical effect with sections 11 through 13 of this act; but if the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall already have enacted such legislation, sections 11 through 13 of this act shall take effect immediately.

d. Sections 14 through 16 of this act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the State of Delaware of legislation having an identical effect with sections 14 through 16 of this act; but if the State of Delaware shall already have enacted such legislation, sections 14 through 16 of this act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This this bill permits the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (“NJTA”), the South Jersey Transportation Authority (“SJTA”), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (“PANYNJ”), the Delaware River Port Authority (“DRPA”), and the Delaware River and Bay Authority (“DRBA”) to enforce and collect the penalties and tolls imposed by an out-of-state tolling entity. The tolling authorities may collect or enforce the penalties or tolls if the NJTA, SJTA, PANYNJ, DPRA, DRBA, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (“MVC”) on behalf of the NJTA, SJTA, PANYNJ, DRPA, or DRBA, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (“NYSDMV”) on behalf of PANYNJ, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (“PennDOT”) on behalf of the DRPA, or the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (“DDMV”) on behalf of the DRBA has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the out-of-state tolling entity or the other state in which the out-of-state tolling entity is located. The reciprocity agreement is required to confirm the following:

· The other state or out-of-state tolling entity has its own reciprocal procedure for collecting penalties and tolls of the NJTA, SJTA, PANYNJ, DPRA, or DRBA by employing sanctions that include denial of a person’s ability to obtain a registration certificate for a motor vehicle;

· The penalties, exclusive of tolls, claimed by the other state or out-of-state tolling entity against the owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey do not exceed $100 for the first violation or $600 for each subsequent violation;

· The other state or out-of-state tolling entity provides due process and appeal protections to avoid the likelihood that a false, mistaken, or unjustified claim will be pursued against an owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey;

· An owner of a motor vehicle registered in New Jersey may present evidence to the other state or out-of-state tolling entity by mail, telephone, or electronic means or in-person in an administrative proceeding before the MVC to invoke the owner’s rights to due process, without having to appear personally in the jurisdiction where the violation is alleged to have occurred; and

· The parties to the reciprocity agreement each may charge the other party a fee sufficient for each party to recoup the costs of collection services, including costs incurred by the MVC, NYSDMV, PennDOT, DDMV or the agency that registers motor vehicles in the other state.

The bill amends current law concerning the penalties imposed by the NJTA and the SJTA, including those related to the nonpayment of tolls, to a fine not to exceed $100 for the first violation and not to exceed $600 for each subsequent violation.

The bill also provides that a person may be subject to the suspension or revocation of or prohibition from obtaining a motor vehicle registration certificate by the MVC, NYSDMV, PennDOT, or DDMV for toll violations, after notice in writing of the proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition and the ground under which the proposed suspension, revocation, or prohibition is based and after the opportunity to be heard during an administrative proceeding.