ASSEMBLY CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 3859

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 24, 2024

      The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 3859.

      As amended and reported by the committee, this bill requires a rental car company to post a notice on their premises advising renters to unpair their devices from the rented vehicle and to delete their personal information from the motor vehicle’s computer system.  The amended bill permits a rental car company to also post notice on their Internet website or in the rental agreement.

      As introduced, the bill required a rental car company to delete a renter’s personal information from a vehicle’s computer system upon processing the return of any rented vehicle.  

      A rental car company that violates the provisions of this bill is subject to a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense, and $1,000 for any subsequent offense, to be collected and enforced by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to require a rental car company to post notice at the return area of the rental car company’s premises advising renters to unpair personal devices from the rented vehicle and to delete their personal information from the motor vehicle’s computer system upon its return to the rental car company.  The amendments further provide that the notice also may be posted to the Internet website of the rental car company or in the rental agreement.  As introduced, the bill required the information to be deleted by the rental car company upon the vehicle’s return to the rental car company.

      The amendments also change the effective date of the bill to the first day of the seventh month after enactment.  Finally, the amendments make clarifying and technical changes.