SENATE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 4464

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee reports favorably a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 4464.

      As reported, this substitute requires certain tolling entities and the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to provide a 50 percent discount to service members, veterans, auxiliary members, and Gold Star Family members.

      Specifically, the substitute requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (collectively, “the authorities”) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), and the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) to provide a 50 percent toll discount to service members, veterans, auxiliary members, and Gold Star Family members.  The toll discount is to be available at all hours.

      Under the substitute, a service member, a veteran, an auxiliary member, or a Gold Star Family member may apply for a discount on tolls assessed for a motor vehicle that meets certain conditions under the substitute.  The authorities, the PANYNJ, the DRBA, and the DRPA are to approve an application for the toll discount program upon receipt of satisfactory proof, as that term is defined in the substitute, submitted by a service member, a veteran, an auxiliary member, or a Gold Star Family member.

      The provisions of the substitute concerning the PANYNJ, the DRBA, and the DRPA are not to take effect until the State of New York, the State of Delaware, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, respectively, has enacted legislation having an identical effect.  However, if the State of New York, the State of Delaware, or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has already enacted such legislation, the provisions of the substitute concerning the PANYNJ, the DRBA, or the DRPA, respectively, are to take effect immediately.

      In addition, the substitute requires the NJT to establish and maintain a fare discount program to provide a 50 percent discount on fares for NJT services (fare discount) to service members, veterans, auxiliary members, and Gold Star Family members.  The fare discount is to be available at all hours.  The NJT is to approve an application for the fare discount upon receipt of satisfactory proof, as that term is defined in the substitute, submitted by a service member, a veteran, an auxiliary member, or a Gold Star Family member.  However, the substitute clarifies that a disabled veteran is not to be eligible to receive both the fare discount authorized by the substitute and the reduced fare authorized pursuant to N.J.S.A.27:1A-64 et seq.