SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1220

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 7, 2024

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1220 (1R).

      This bill increases the penalties for motor vehicle operators who fail to secure a child in a child passenger restraint system or booster seat pursuant to law.

      The current penalty is a fine of between $50 and $75.  The bill increases the penalty for a first offense to a fine of $100 and provides that for a first offense, the court is to waive the fine to be imposed if the defendant demonstrates that he or she is in possession of a child passenger restraint system. The fine for second or subsequent offense would be no less than $250 and no more than $500.

      The bill establishes a Division of Highway Traffic Safety Child Passenger Restraint System Assistance Fund (fund) to be administered by the State Treasurer.  From the moneys collected from each fine, $25 is to be deposited into the fund and used exclusively by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety to purchase child passenger restraint systems for distribution to persons and organizations that establish and maintain child passenger restraint system distribution programs.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill has not been certified as requiring a fiscal note.