SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3424

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 8, 2021

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3424.

      As reported, this bill requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to permit a person to voluntarily designate as part of the person’s motor vehicle registration that the person has special needs or that an immediate family member of the person who regularly operates the motor vehicle has special needs.  The bill defines “special needs” to mean a physical, mental, or developmental disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

     The bill requires the commission to permit a person to make the designation upon an application for a motor vehicle registration, upon renewal of a motor vehicle registration, or at any time through the commission’s Internet website.  A person may also submit any additional information that may assist law enforcement officials in communicating with the person with special needs.  The commission is to allow a person to revise and update the designation and information or remove the designation and information at any time.

     The designation and information is to be available only to certain employees of the commission and law enforcement officials when accessing the person’s motor vehicle records.  The designation and information is to be used only during a motor vehicle stop to assist law enforcement officials in identifying and effectively communicating with a person who has special needs and is not to be used for any other purpose.

     The designation and information submitted to the commission is not to be considered a government record and is not to be discoverable as a government record except upon a subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter.