ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1153

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 3, 2020

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1153.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (authorities) to transmit electronic notification to a customer that passes through a toll plaza operated by the authority, provided that the customer has an account for the electronic toll collection system that is registered with the New Jersey E-ZPass Customer Service Center and voluntarily opts in for such notification.   The notification is required to be transmitted within 24 hours of the transaction posting to the customer’s account.  The notification may be provided by electronic mail, a text message sent directly to a customer’s mobile device, or through a mobile application.  The bill would apply to toll plazas on the State’s three toll roads, the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, and the Atlantic City Expressway.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to remove requirements that the authorities install equipment in each lane of each toll plaza.  The amendments remove the requirement that the notification be immediate and replace it with a requirement that the notice be provided within 24 hours.  The amendments also provide that the requirement for electronic notification only applies to individuals with New Jersey E-ZPass accounts and that customers may opt out of the notifications at any time.