ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4525

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 21, 2024

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4525.

      As reported, this bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to provide a written notice of an alleged toll violation and a process for remedying the toll violation before issuing or collecting any administrative fee.

      Specifically, the bill requires the NJTA and SJTA to provide a written notice within 60 days of a toll violation to the owner of the vehicle by regular mail, providing the owner with the opportunity to resolve the matter prior to the issuance of a summons and complaint that charges a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations and any administrative fee that is associated with a violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations.  The written notice is required to contain sufficient information to inform the owner of the nature, date, time, and location of the alleged violation, as well as information pertaining to a process by which the owner may elect to remedy the alleged violation within 30 days of the date the written notice was sent to avoid the issuance of an administrative fee.  The NJTA and SJTA are required to include a notification within the written notice, specifying that, if the alleged violation is not remedied within the required time period, the owner will be required to pay a reasonable administrative fee.  The bill prohibits the NJTA or SJTA from issuing any administrative fee to, or collecting any administrative fee from, the owner for an alleged violation of the toll collection monitoring system regulations unless the written notice has been provided and the time period to remedy the alleged violation has expired.

      Current law requires the NJTA or SJTA to provide an advisory and payment request within 60 days of a toll violation.  The advisory and payment request requires that the owner of the vehicle pay the proper toll and a reasonable administrative fee.