SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 771

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: NOVEMBER 7, 1996

 

 

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 771.

      Under the provisions of this bill as amended and released by the commitee, a municipality could enact an ordinance permitting the municipal court to impose an additional assessment on all motor vehicle violation fines and penalties. The amount of the additional assessment may not exceed 20 percent of the total fine or penalty the court imposes for the violation itself. The amounts assessed and collected by the court are to be forwarded to the chief financial officer of the municipality and deposited in a special municipal law enforcement fund. The moneys in the fund are to be expended exclusively for the purpose of defraying the municipality's costs of providing law enforcement services.

      In the case of a municipality that does not have a municipal police force, any amounts assessed and collected under this bill are to be forwarded to the chief financial officer of the county and deposited in a special account. These amounts are to be used to reduce the cost of operating the municipal court.