Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Requires appointments for safety-related recalls on vehicles to be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning safety-related recalls on vehicles and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Whenever the owner or lessee of a vehicle contacts a dealer to schedule an appointment to address a safety-related recall that has been issued for the owner’s or lessee’s vehicle, the dealer shall offer the owner or lessee the next available appointment, regardless of whether the vehicle is owned or leased. If the owner or lessee cannot accept the offered appointment time, the dealer shall schedule the appointment at the earliest possible time convenient for the owner or lessee, so that all safety-related recall appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of whether the vehicle is owned or leased.
b. A violation of this section shall be an unlawful practice.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require vehicle dealers to schedule appointments to address safety-related recalls on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of whether the vehicle is owned or leased. Under the bill, whenever an owner or lessee contacts a dealer to schedule such an appointment, the dealer would have to offer the owner or lessee the next available appointment. If the owner or lessee cannot accept the offered appointment time, the dealer would have to schedule the appointment at the earliest possible time convenient for the owner or lessee.
Violations of the bill would be violations of the consumer fraud act. An unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act is punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. Additionally, a violation can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured.