Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Includes skin cancer as medical condition that permits certain materials on motor vehicle windows and windshields.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning materials applied to the windows and windshields of certain motor vehicles and amending P.L.1999, c.308.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1999, c.308 (C.39:3-75.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the owner or lessee of a motor vehicle that is driven by or is used to regularly transport a person who has a medical condition involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity may apply to the [director] chief administrator for permission to have the windshield and windows of that vehicle covered by or treated with a product or material that increases its light reflectance or reduces its light transmittance.
The application shall be in a form and manner prescribed by the [director] chief administrator and shall include, but not be limited to, a written certification by a certified ophthalmologist or a physician with a plenary license to practice medicine and surgery in this State or a bordering state that the person for whom the application is submitted has a medical condition involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity. For the purposes of this [act] P.L.1999, c.308 (C.39:3-75.1 et seq.), medical conditions involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity shall include:
a. polymorphous light eruption;
b. persistent light reactivity;
c. actinic reticuloid;
d. porphyrins;
e. solar urticaria;
f. lupus erythematosus; [and]
g. a history of, or a substantial risk of developing, skin cancer; and
h. such other photosensitive disorders or conditions as the [director] chief administrator shall determine.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.308, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill includes skin cancer as one of the specific medical conditions that permits a person to apply for permission to add certain materials to the windshield and windows of a motor vehicle, including tinting material.
Current law provides that the owner or lessee of a motor vehicle that is driven by or is used to regularly transport a person who has a medical condition involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity may apply to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (chief administrator) for permission to have the windshield and windows of that vehicle covered by or treated with a product or material that increases its light reflectance or reduces its light transmittance. Current law specifies that the application is to be in a form and manner prescribed by the chief administrator and is to include, but not be limited to, a written certification by a certified ophthalmologist or a physician with a plenary license to practice medicine and surgery in this State or a bordering state that the person for whom the application is submitted has a medical condition involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity. The bill provides that a history of, or a substantial risk of developing, skin cancer would be considered a medical condition involving ophthalmic or dermatologic photosensitivity and therefore, would qualify as a medical exemption available for vehicle window tinting.