ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5600

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5600.

      As amended and reported, this bill concerns penalties for the assault of motorbus and rail passenger service employees. Under current law, the New Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation), any entity that provides rail passenger service, including light rail passenger service (entity), and autobus companies are authorized to prohibit any person who assaults an employee of the corporation’s motorbus or rail passenger service (corporation employee), an employee of an entity’s rail passenger service (entity employee), or an employee of an autobus company (autobus company employee) while the employee is clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, from using the transportation services provided by the corporation, entity, or autobus company, respectively, (transportation services) for up to one calendar year.  This bill amends current law to clarify that “employee” includes, but is not limited to, all frontline employees who interact with passengers or the public, including, but not limited to, operating, supervisory, passenger service, and safety and security personnel and to define “assault” to mean the same as that term is described in N.J.S.A.2C:12-1.

      In addition, the bill authorizes the corporation, entities, and autobus companies to prohibit any person who is convicted of assaulting a corporation employee, an entity employee, or an autobus company employee while the employee is clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, from using the transportation services for up to five years.  The bill permits any such person, after completing three years of the administrative suspension, to petition the corporation, entity, or autobus company for relief to reduce or end the period of suspension for good cause based on change in circumstances, substantial need for the transportation services, or proof of rehabilitation.

      Finally, the bill amends current law to clarify that, if a deadly weapon was used during the commission of an assault of a corporation employee, entity employee, or autobus company employee while the employee was clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, the corporation, entity, or autobus company may prohibit the person from accessing the transportation services for life.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  define “assault” and “employee”;

      (2)  permit the corporation, an entity, or an autobus company to prohibit a person who assaults a corporation employee, an entity employee, or an autobus company employee, respectively, while the employee is clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, from using the transportation services for up to one year, rather than up to five years;

      (3)  provide that the provisions of the bill concerning the corporation apply to an employee of motorbus service or rail passenger service, including light rail service, rather than an employee of motor bus service, including, but not limited to, an operator of a motorbus or the operator’s supervisor or any employee of a rail passenger service, including light rail service;

      (4)  provide that the provisions of the bill concerning an autobus company apply to an employee of the autobus company, rather than an operator of an autobus or the operator’s supervisor;

      (5)  permit the corporation, an entity, or an autobus company to prohibit a person who is convicted of assaulting a corporation employee, an entity employee, or an autobus company employee, respectively, while the employee is clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, from using the transportation services for up to five years;

      (6)  clarify that the corporation, an entity, or an autobus company may prohibit a person who uses a deadly weapon to assault a corporation employee, an entity employee, or an autobus company employee, respectively, while the employee is clearly identifiable as performing the employee’s duties, or because of the employee’s status as an employee, from using the transportation services for life; and

      (7)  make technical changes.