Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY F. MUNOZ
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Removes license suspension penalty for persons with only one outstanding parking fine; permits Motor Vehicle Commission to refuse registration to persons with outstanding parking fine.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning parking tickets and amending P.L.1985, c.14.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 9 of P.L.1985, c.14 (C.39:4-139.10) is amended to read as follows:
9. a. If a person has failed to respond to a failure to appear notice or has failed to pay a parking judgment, the municipal court may give notice of that fact to the commission in a manner prescribed by the chief administrator. If notice has been given under this section of a person's failure to respond to a failure to appear notice or to pay a parking judgment and if the fines and penalties are paid or if the case is dismissed or otherwise disposed of, the municipal court shall promptly give notice to that effect to the commission.
b. If a person fails to respond to a failure to appear notice or fails to pay a parking judgment but has no other outstanding parking fines or penalties, then the commission may require the person to satisfy the outstanding parking fine or penalty before permitting the person to register or renew the registration of any motor vehicle. The judge or the commission may suspend the driver's license, or the registration of the motor vehicle of an owner, lessee, or operator who has not answered or appeared in response to a failure to appear notice or has not paid or otherwise satisfied an outstanding parking fine or penalty if the owner, lessee, or operator has other outstanding parking fines or penalties. If an owner, lessee or operator has been found guilty of a parking offense, and the person is subject to a license suspension pursuant to this section, the court shall provide notice and an opportunity to appear before a judge prior to suspending that person's driver's license or motor vehicle registration. In determining whether to suspend the person's driver's license or the motor vehicle registration, the judge and the commission shall take into consideration the area where the person resides and whether or not the person has access to off-street parking. If the owner, lessee or operator is found by the court to be indigent or is participating in a government-based income maintenance program, that person shall be permitted to pay the parking fine and other penalties in installments in accordance with section 1 of P.L.1981, c.365 (C.39:4-203.1).
c. The commission shall keep a record of a suspension ordered by the court pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.280, s.1)
2. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The bill changes the penalty for the failure to pay an individual parking ticket. Under current law, failing to pay an individual parking ticket can lead to a license suspension. The bill would allow the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to require an individual to satisfy an outstanding parking ticket before registering or renewing the registration of any vehicle. Under the bill, courts and the Motor Vehicle Commission would not be permitted to suspend an individual's driver's license for failing to pay one parking ticket. Both the court and the commission may suspend the license of a person who has more than one unpaid parking ticket.