LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 4101
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JULY 5, 2022
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Requires MVC to prompt applicant for certain documents to enter information into “Next-of-Kin Registry.” |
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Type of Impact: |
State expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
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State Cost Increase |
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Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill would result in a small cost increase to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). However, the OLS is unable to quantify the anticipated cost increase.
· This bill requires the MVC to allow the submission of emergency contact information in person at commission agency locations and to prompt a person applying for certain identification documents to enter information for the “Next-of-Kin Registry” when applying in person or online. These requirements should result in a small but indeterminate cost increase for the commission, which should largely be able to be satisfied by existing MVC staff and resources.
· The bill also provides that law enforcement officials are required to have direct access to information in the registry and the commission is required to coordinate with other executive branch departments and agencies to raise awareness regarding the registry. The OLS is unable to determine the cost of providing direct access to information in the registry to law enforcement officials. The State would likely incur a small but indeterminate cost increase to coordinate an awareness campaign regarding the registry.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the MVC to automatically prompt an applicant for a validated permit, probationary driver’s license, initial driver’s license, initial non-driver identification card, renewal driver’s license, or renewal non-driver identification card to enter information for the “Next-of-Kin Registry” maintained by the commission. The MVC is required to prompt the applicant if the application is done in person or online. The bill also requires the commission to allow an individual to submit emergency contact information in person at a commission agency.
The bill provides that law enforcement officials are required to have direct access to information in the registry. The bill requires the MVC to coordinate with all other appropriate executive branch departments and agencies to raise public awareness about the registry and to raise awareness among law enforcement agencies and officers on the proper use of the registry.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that this bill would result in a small cost increase to the MVC. However, the OLS is unable to quantify the anticipated cost increase.
Allowing for the submission of information to the “Next-of-Kin Registry” in person at MVC facilities merely represents a new method of submitting information that is already processed by the commission. Accordingly, existing MVC staff should be able to implement this portion of the legislation. Similarly, requiring the MVC to prompt in-person applicants to submit information to the registry should be able to be implemented by existing commission staff. However, requiring that online applicants be prompted to submit information to the registry may require some technological modification to the commission’s existing online application process. The OLS finds that this will result in a small but indeterminate cost to the MVC.
Currently, law enforcement officials have access to the information in the registry. The bill provides that law enforcement officials are to have direct access. The OLS is unable to determine how the MVC will provide direct access to law enforcement officials and to what degree this differs from how the information in the registry is currently accessible to law enforcement officials. Accordingly, the OLS is unable to determine the cost of this requirement.
The bill also requires the commission to coordinate with other appropriate executive branch departments and agencies for the purpose of raising awareness about the “Next-of-Kin Registry” and raising awareness among law enforcement agencies and officers on the proper use of the registry. An awareness campaign such as this depends on how an executive branch agency chooses to implement it; however, the cost is generally small and much of the work can be produced by existing staff with existing resources.
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Section: |
Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications |
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Analyst: |
Senior Counsel |
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Approved: |
Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).