Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes special license plates for fire police officers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning special license plates and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Upon the application of any person who is a member of a fire department in this State and is a qualified fire police officer pursuant to R.S.15:8-4, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may issue for a motor vehicle owned or leased by the person a set of special license plates bearing a Maltese Cross and the words "Fire Police," in addition to the other markings or identification required by law. The design and color of the plates shall be approved by the chief administrator.
b. The special license plates authorized by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may be issued upon proof, satisfactory to the chief administrator, that the applicant is a bona fide member of a fire department and is a qualified fire police officer pursuant to R.S.15:8-4. The fee for such license plates shall be $15 in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of such motor vehicle.
c. A person who has been issued a set of fire police license plates who resigns, is removed, or otherwise no longer qualifies as a fire police officer pursuant to R.S.15:8-4 shall return the special plates to the commission within 15 days of resigning, being removed, or no longer qualifying to serve as a fire police officer.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special license plates to fire police officers. The special plates are to bear a Maltese Cross and the words "Fire Police," in addition to the other markings or identification required by law. Under the bill, the fee for the license plates is $15. The bill also requires a person who has been issued fire police license plates who resigns, is removed, or otherwise no longer qualifies as a fire police officer to return the license plate to the commission within 15 days of resigning, being removed, or no longer qualifying to serve as a fire police officer.
Under current law, fire police officers are members of fire companies who have been qualified through a basic fire police training course and have pledged to justly, impartially, and faithfully discharge their duties. The duties of a fire police officer include: protecting property and its contents; establishing and maintaining fire lines; performing necessary traffic duties; and, in the absence of investigating authorities, investigating all causes of fires and preserving all evidence pertaining to questionable fires and turning the evidence over to the proper investigating authorities.
It is the intent of the sponsor that the special license plates will make fire police officers recognizable to other authorities on the roadways and will expedite their arrival in emergency situations.