SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2748

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  AUGUST 10, 2020

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2748.

      As reported, this bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission), in consultation with the Office of Information Technology, to establish a one-year NJMVC Virtual Check-in Pilot Program.

     Under the bill, the pilot program is required to allow a customer visiting a commission agency to: (1) reserve a spot in the queue through the commission’s Internet website without being physically present at the agency; (2) advance in the queue without being physically present at the agency; and (3) check-in remotely from the parking lot of the agency by using a mobile application to claim the customer’s spot in the queue, or check-in in-person at the agency by using a kiosk or tablet, or by speaking with a commission employee.

     The customer is to have four hours or less, as determined by the commission, from the time the customer reserves a virtual spot in the queue to check-in remotely from the agency’s parking lot or in-person at the agency.  The commission is required to allow a person who is physically present in the agency’s parking lot, but who has not reserved a virtual spot in the queue on the commission’s Internet website, to check-in remotely and reserve a spot in the queue from the agency’s parking lot by using a mobile application.  After the customer checks-in remotely or checks-in in-person, the commission is required to either notify the customer electronically when the customer may enter the commission agency to complete the requested transaction, or send a commission employee to the customer waiting outside of the agency to ensure that the customer has the required documentation to complete the requested transaction and to notify the customer when the customer may enter the agency to complete the requested transaction.

     Under the bill, the commission, in consultation with the Office of Information Technology, is required to contract with an entity to develop and maintain a mobile application that allows customers to check-in remotely when physically present in the parking lot of the agency.  The mobile application is to be available in English and Spanish.

     The Chief Administrator of the commission is required to select at least 10 commission agencies to participate in the pilot program and is to decide whether to continue the pilot program within 150 days after the completion of the pilot program.  The chief administrator is also required to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and Legislature within 180 days after the completion of the pilot program.