LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2753

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: AUGUST 11, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Requires Department of Agriculture to publish information on highway safety for motorists passing farm equipment on public highways; includes safely sharing roadway with farm equipment in driver education courses and certain informational brochures.

Type of Impact:

Annual increase in State expenditures.   

Agencies Affected:

Department of Agriculture; Department of Law and Public Safety; New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. 

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Annual

 

State Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill would result in an indeterminate increase in annual State expenditures incurred primarily by the Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.  The Department of Law and Public Safety may additionally incur additional administrative expenses through the Division of Highway Traffic Safety consulting with the Department of Agriculture to implement the bill’s provisions. 

·         The OLS cannot determine the total expenditure increase because the bill does not specify the production standards for the required video and other informational materials, the extent of the annual public information campaign, or the number and type of physical materials that the commission would post at its locations. 

·         The Department of Agriculture would incur one-time cost increases to develop informational materials on highway safety, including a video informing motorists of the risks associated with attempting to pass farm equipment on public highways.  The department may also incur recurring costs to update and publicize these materials. 

·         The commission would incur additional costs to publish the informational materials on its website and social medial accounts and to post the materials at all commission locations throughout the State.  The magnitude of these costs would depend upon the format, size, quantity, and replacement frequency of the posted materials. 

 

·         The division and the commission would also be required to revise certain driver education curriculum guidelines and informational brochures to address the safe sharing of roadways with farm equipment.  Notably, the OLS anticipates that these revisions can be accomplished as a part of the agencies’ regular updates to educational materials and therefore may result in a marginal cost increase. 

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, to create, publish, and update on the department’s website, and any official department social media accounts informational materials about motorists approaching farm equipment on public highways.  The informational materials are to include a video informing motorists of the risks of attempting to pass farm equipment on public highways. 

      This bill further requires the commission to publish on its website and on any official social media accounts, and to post in all its physical locations throughout the State, and update as appropriate, the informational materials created by the Department of Agriculture.  The department is also required to place additional emphasis on highway safety involving farm equipment during National Farm Safety and Health Week.    

      This bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to issue a report to the Governor and to the Legislature that includes certain information outlined in the bill. 

      Lastly, this bill amends current law to include instruction in safely sharing the roadway with farm equipment in curriculum guidelines for classroom driver education courses and informational brochures provided to the parents and guardians of beginning drivers under the age of 18.   

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received. 

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS concludes that the bill would result in an indeterminate increase in State expenditures incurred primarily by the Department of Agriculture and the Motor Vehicle Commission.  The Department of Law and Public Safety may additionally incur additional administrative expenses through the participation of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety consulting with the Department of Agriculture to implement the provisions of the bill.  The OLS cannot determine the expenditure increase because the bill does not specify the production standards for the required video and other informational materials, the extent of the annual public-information campaign, or the number and type of physical materials that the commission would post at its locations.

      The Department of Agriculture would incur one-time cost increases to develop informational materials on highway safety, including a video informing motorists of the risks associated with attempting to pass farm equipment on public highways.  The department may also incur recurring costs to update and publicize these materials. 

      The commission would incur additional costs to publish the informational materials on its website and social medial accounts and to post the materials at all commission locations throughout the State.  The magnitude of these costs would depend upon the format, size, quantity, and replacement frequency of the posted materials.

      The division and the commission would also be required to revise certain driver education curriculum guidelines and informational brochures to address the safe sharing of roadways with farm equipment.  Notably, the OLS anticipates that these revisions can be accomplished as a part of the agencies’ regular updates to educational materials and therefore may result in a marginal cost increase. 

 

 

Section:

Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications

Analyst:

Michael D. Walker Jr.

Associate Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).