Bill > A1545

This bill authorizes the New Jersey Transit Corporation, the state's public transportation provider, to install and operate "bus obstruction monitoring systems"—which are camera enforcement systems mounted on buses—to capture and issue citations for vehicles that illegally stop, stand, or park in dedicated bus lanes, bus stop zones, or designated bicycle lanes. Under the legislation, vehicle owners or operators face a $45 fine for a first offense, which increases by $45 for subsequent violations within a 12-month period up to a maximum of $135, and individuals who accumulate three or more unpaid fines may face driver's license or vehicle registration suspensions through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which is the state agency responsible for driver and vehicle licensing. The measure outlines specific defense and contestation procedures for citation recipients, mandates strict data security and privacy protections by prohibiting facial recognition and requiring the prompt deletion of unviolating images, directs fine revenues toward covering program costs and funding Access Link (which is New Jersey Transit's paratransit service for individuals with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route buses), and requires an initial 180-day public awareness campaign featuring a 90-day warning period before actual fines are enforced.