SENATE, No. 728

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996

By Senator BUBBA

An Act concerning the availability of air compressors at gasoline service stations and supplementing P.L.1989, c.263 (C.34:3A-4 et seq.).

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

    1. Every retail dealer shall provide, on the premises and during the hours in which the gasoline station is open for business, at least one functioning motor-driven air compressor, capable of inflating motor vehicle tires, for use by customers. If a compressor fails to function for a mechanical reason, and, as a result, the gasoline station does not provide any access to an air compressor, the retail dealer shall not be in violation of this act unless he fails to restore access within a reasonable time. There shall be no charge for the reasonable use of an air compressor by customers to inflate tires on their motor vehicles.

    2. Violation of this act shall subject a retail dealer to a penalty of not more than $25 for each day that violation occurs. The penalty shall be sued for and recovered by and in the name of the Attorney General and shall be collected and enforced by summary proceedings pursuant to "the penalty enforcement law," N.J.S.2A:58-1 et seq.

    3. This act shall take effect on the 90th day following enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires gasoline service stations to provide their customers access to an air compressor free of charge for the purpose of inflating their motor vehicle tires. If the station is unable to provide access to an air compressor because of a mechanical breakdown, the station would not violate the provisions of the bill, but it must restore the service within a reasonable time. The penalty for violating the provisions of this bill is $25 per day.

Requires gasoline stations to provide free air to customers.