Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Tiver
SYNOPSIS
Requires MVC to take measures to prevent agency closures during public health emergency; requires MVC to provide alternatives if closure is unpreventable.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning operations at New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission agencies.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the duration of the public health emergency and state of emergency declared on March 9, 2020 by the Governor, pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 and extended, where applicable, by subsequent executive orders the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall take all measures necessary to prevent the temporary closure of a commission agency due to the coronavirus and shall ensure that the commission and its agencies continue to provide services to individuals. If the chief administrator determines that the temporary closure of a commission agency is necessary, the chief administrator shall provide reasonable alternatives to prospective customers of that agency location, which shall include but is not limited to the use of a mobile unit at or nearby the agency location.
b. On or before the 90th day following the effective date of this act, the chief administrator shall submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature on the measures taken in the prior 90 days to comply with the provisions of this act and to prevent the temporary closure of commission agencies.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire at the end of the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), either: upon the expiration of Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 and any subsequent executive orders extending the public health emergency; or, in the absence of a rescission by the Governor, upon the termination in any other manner of the declared public health emergency.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to take all measures necessary to prevent the temporary closure of a commission agency due to the coronavirus. If the chief administrator determines that the temporary closure of a commission agency is necessary, the chief administrator is required to provide reasonable alternatives to prospective customers of that agency location, which is to include but is not limited to the use of a mobile unit at or nearby the agency location. The chief administrator is required to report to the Governor and Legislature on the commission’s efforts to prevent agency closures.