ASSEMBLY, No. 2870

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 1, 1997

By Assemblymen GIBSON and ASSELTA

An Act concerning skateboarding and roller skating, and supplementing chapter 4 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

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

    1. The governing body of any municipality may, by ordinance, regulate the operation of skateboards and roller skates upon the roadways and public properties under municipal jurisdiction; provided, however, that no such ordinance shall:

    a. absolve any person operating roller skates upon a permitted roadway of any of the duties applicable to the operator of a bicycle pursuant to Article 3 of chapter 4 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes and all supplements thereto, except as to those provisions thereof which by their nature can have no application;

    b. permit any person to operate a skateboard upon any public roadway, except while crossing a street upon a crosswalk; and

    c. absolve any person operating a skateboard upon a permitted sidewalk of any of the duties applicable to pedestrians.

    For the purpose of this section, "roller skates" means a pair of devices worn on the feet with a set of wheels attached, regardless of the number or placement of those wheels, and used to glide or propel the user over the ground.

    2. Every person operating roller skates upon a roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to the operator of a bicycle pursuant to Article 3 of chapter 4 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except those which by their nature can have no application.

    3. No person may operate a skateboard upon any public roadway, except while crossing a street upon a crosswalk. Every person operating a skateboard upon a sidewalk or when crossing a street upon a crosswalk shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to pedestrians.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill would grant the governing body of a municipality the statutory authority to adopt and enforce ordinances governing the operation of skateboards and roller skates on the roadways and public properties under the jurisdiction of the municipality.

    The provisions of the bill specify, however, that these ordinances may not include provisions which would:

    (1) absolve persons operating roller skates on permitted roadways from those duties applicable to a bicycle operator under New Jersey law (e.g., abide by traffic signs and signals; ride to the right; travel no more than two abreast);

    (2) permit persons to operate skateboards on any public roadway, except to cross at a crosswalk; and

    (3) absolve persons operating skateboards on any permitted sidewalk of any of the duties applicable to pedestrians (e.g., abide by traffic and pedestrian control signs and signals).

    The bill also supplements chapter 4 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes to clarify the general statutory duties, rights and obligations of skateboarders and roller skaters in this State.

Authorizes municipalities to regulate skateboards and roller skates upon roadways and public properties under their jurisdiction.