SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 745

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  January 30, 2025

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 745.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with the Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS), to establish a weigh-in-motion monitoring program (program), which program is to be funded through monies appropriated for the Annual Transportation Capital Program.  The program is required to include the placement and use of weigh-in-motion monitoring systems to monitor vehicle weight as vehicles approach certain bridges.  To determine locations for the weigh-in-motion monitoring systems, the DOT, in consultation with the DLPS, is to consider: (1) the proximity to a bridge whose condition is categorized as poor by the National Bridge Inventory; (2) the condition of a bridge as determined by a structural inspection or any other inspection of the bridge conducted in compliance with State or federal law; (3) the frequency of recent violations documented on a roadway or in proximity to a bridge; and (4) any other factors determined by the DOT, in consultation with the DLPS, to be appropriate.  Each system is required to include a scale, at least one camera to capture vehicle information, signage to indicate modified speed limits as needed, and other equipment as the DOT or DLPS find necessary.  The bill provides that records of individual vehicle information or personal information are not to be retained, used, or disclosed for a purpose unrelated to the bill’s provisions.  Additionally, the bill permits vehicles that are not found in violation of this bill by a system to bypass a weigh station.  The bill also prohibits enforcement action against a vehicle if the DOT directs and approves the vehicle to traverse a bridge where the vehicle exceeds the weight threshold for the bridge.

      Each system is required to be capable of automatically sending notifications upon detection of certain violations to the DOT and the DLPS, which departments have respective duties under the bill.  The bill specifies that a violation does not occur if the weight of the vehicle exceeds the weight threshold, as provided by this bill, by five percent or less.  The bill also requires the DOT and DLPS to prepare and publish annual reports.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments:

      (1) remove reference to “axle weight” throughout the bill;

      (2) update the definition of “violation” to provide that a violation does not occur if the weight of a vehicle exceeds a weight threshold, as provided by this bill, by no more than five percent;

      (3) provide that a vehicle that is not in violation of the provisions of this bill by a weigh-in-motion monitoring system is permitted to bypass a weigh station;

      (4) remove a provision that provides that individual vehicle information and personal information recorded or retained for the purpose of the bill are not considered a public record under the common law concerning access to government records;

      (5) provide that a vehicle is not subject to an enforcement action under this bill if the vehicle is directed and approved by the Department of Transportation to traverses a bridge where the vehicle exceeds the weight threshold for the bridge;

      (6) specify that the costs of planning and implementing the provisions of this bill are to be funded through monies appropriated by the “Annual Transportation Capital Program” instead of by monies from the “Transportation Trust Fund Account”; and

      (7) make grammatical corrections.