Concerns parking violations that obstruct NJT bus operations and bicycle lanes in certain circumstances.

A1545 1R

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 1545

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Sampson and Assemblywoman Carter

SYNOPSIS

���� Concerns parking violations that obstruct NJT bus
operations and bicycle lanes in certain circumstances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As reported by the Assembly Transportation and
Independent Authorities Committee on June 1, 2026, with amendments.

��

An Act

concerning certain parking violations and
supplementing P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-1 et al.).

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� As used in
P.L. , c.
(C.
1
[
through
C.
]
1
) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill):�

���� �Access Link� means the
paratransit service implemented by the corporation for purposes of complying
with the �Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,� Pub.L.101-336 (42
1
[
U.S.C.s.12101
]

U.S.C.
s.12101
1

et seq.).

���� �Bus obstruction monitoring
system� means a camera enforcement system that includes onboard cameras that
are designed to capture a recorded image of a motor vehicle during the
commission of a covered violation.

���� �Bus obstruction monitoring
system operator� means a representative of the corporation, including
contractors, that operates a bus obstruction monitoring system.

����
�Bus stop zone� means
any area designated by official signage or pavement markings as a bus stop for
corporation motor vehicles.

����
1
�Commission�
means the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
1

���� �Corporation� means the New
Jersey Transit Corporation.

���� �Covered violation� means
stopping, standing, or parking in: (1) a dedicated bus lane, unless authorized
by the local jurisdiction in which the dedicated bus lane is located; (2) a bus
stop zone, unless no transit bus is present and the motor vehicle is actively
engaged in the loading or unloading of passengers with hazard lights activated;
or (3) a designated bicycle lane, unless permitted under law or in the event of
an emergency. A �covered violation� shall not include a motor vehicle moving
violation.

���� �Dedicated bus lane� means a
lane designated for use by a bus owned, operated, leased, or contracted for by
the corporation to provide motorbus regular route service.

���� �Designated bicycle lane�
means a clearly marked traffic lane for bicycles adjacent to a roadway that
serves a motorbus regular route.

���� �Motor vehicle moving
violation� means any violation of the motor vehicle laws of this State or any
other jurisdiction for which motor vehicle points are assessed by the chief
administrator pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1982, c.43 (C.39:5-30.5) or any
violation of the motor vehicle laws of any other jurisdiction for which motor
vehicle points would be assessed if that violation had occurred in this State.

���� �Operator� means a person who
is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.

���� �Owner� means the registered
owner of a motor vehicle or a lessee of a motor vehicle under a lease of six
months or more.

���� �Recorded image� means
a digital image recorded by a
bus obstruction
monitoring system.

���� 2.��� a.� The New Jersey
Transit Corporation shall
issue citations for a
covered violation resulting from recorded images.
1
[
A designated
]

An officer with the New Jersey Transit Police Department, or an
1
employee of the corporation
1
[
,
or a

contracted law
enforcement agency
]

that has been designated, trained, and certified by the New Jersey Transit
Police Department to review citations for covered violations
1
, shall review the recorded images to determine whether a covered
violation has occurred.
� The corporation shall install and operate bus
obstruction monitoring systems on buses owned or operated by the corporation or
operated under contract with the corporation to capture recorded images of
motor vehicles during the commission of a covered violation and to issue
citations for covered violations.� The number of buses equipped with bus
obstruction monitoring systems, as well as the selection of routes and
deployment locations, shall be determined by the corporation based on a
cost-benefit analysis, anticipated impact on motorbus regular route service
efficiency, safety and rider accessibility, predicted violation frequency, and
overall operational feasibility.

���� b.��� A bus obstruction
monitoring system may only be used if:�

���� (1)�� operated by a bus
obstruction monitoring system operator; and

���� (2)�� a sign is affixed to the
bus alerting drivers that the bus is equipped with a bus obstruction monitoring
system.

���� 3.��� a.� A bus obstruction
monitoring system shall only retain recorded images of motor vehicles that
contain evidence of a covered violation.

���� b.��� Recorded images from a
bus obstruction monitoring system:�

���� (1)�� may be retained for up
to six months or 60 days after final disposition of the citation, whichever is
later, if the
1
[
record
]

recorded
1
images
contain evidence of a covered violation;

���� (2)�� shall be destroyed
within 15 days after the recorded images were first captured if the
1
[
record
]

recorded
1
images
do not contain evidence of a covered violation;

���� (3)�� shall be stored on
secure servers or encrypted digital storage systems that meet or exceed the State�s
information security standards as established by the New Jersey Office of
Homeland Security and Preparedness, or any successor entity; and

���� (4)�� shall not be deemed a
government record under
1
[
P.L1963
]

P.L.1963
1
, c.73
(C.47:1A-1 et seq.), P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-5 et al.), or the common law
concerning access to government records, and shall not be discoverable as a
government record by any person, entity, or governmental agency, except upon a
subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter, nor
shall the
1
[
record
]

recorded
1
images
be offered as evidence in any civil or administrative proceeding not directly
related to a covered violation.

���� c.���� A bus obstruction
monitoring system may not use biometric identification techniques, including
facial recognition technology.

���� 4.��� a.� (1) A bus
obstruction monitoring system operator shall complete training by the
manufacturer of the bus obstruction monitoring system in the procedures for
setting up, testing, and operating the bus obstruction monitoring system.

���� (2) Upon completion of the
training, the manufacturer shall issue a signed certificate to the bus
obstruction monitoring system operator.� The certificate shall be retained by
the operator as well as the corporation, or its designated contractor, and
shall be admissible as evidence in any administrative or judicial proceeding
related to a covered violation.

���� b.��� A bus obstruction
monitoring system operator shall perform manufacturer-specified functionality
tests of each system prior to the start of daily service and at regular
intervals throughout the day, as required by the manufacturer. Each test shall
confirm proper operation of the camera, time and date stamp, location tracking,
and image capture functions.

���� c.���� For each day of
operation, the bus obstruction monitoring system operator shall complete and
sign a test verification log. The log shall:

���� (1) indicate the date and time
of each test;

���� (2) confirm that the bus
obstruction monitoring system passed all required self-tests prior to capturing
any recorded images;

���� (3) be retained by the
corporation or its designated contractor and made available upon request for
administrative review or legal proceedings; and

���� (4) be admissible as evidence
in any court proceeding related to a covered violation.

���� 5.��� a.� A citation issued by
a bus obstruction monitoring system for a covered violation may be contested on
the grounds that:�

���� (1)�� the motor vehicle was a
transit vehicle owned, operated, leased, or contracted for by the corporation
or by a local or county transportation agency;

���� (2)�� the motor vehicle was a
school bus;

���� (3)�� the motor vehicle was an
authorized emergency vehicle operating on official business or in the exercise
of the driver�s profession, including in response to an emergency call or while
pursuing an actual or suspected violator of the law;

���� (4)�� the motor vehicle was
owned or operated by a federal, state, county, or local government agency and
was engaged in official duties at the time of the alleged covered violation;

���� (5)�� the motor vehicle was
parked, stopped, or standing due to a medical emergency or mechanical breakdown
and the owner provides proof documenting the claim;

���� (6)�� the motor vehicle was providing
transportation related to the provision of funeral services and the owner
provides proof documenting the claim;

���� (7)�� the motor vehicle was
reported stolen at the time of the covered violation, as documented by a police
report; or

���� (8)�� a citation was
previously issued by a local
1
law
enforcement agency or
1

parking authority for the same covered violation, the fine associated with the
covered violation has been paid, and the owner or operator submits proof of
payment to the corporation.

���� b.��� An owner or operator
shall have 30 calendar days from the date of mailing of the citation to contest
the alleged covered violation
1
to
the corporation pursuant to subsection a. of this section
1
.� A
citation may be contested through the corporation�s Internet website, by mail,
or by requesting a hearing in accordance with procedures established by
1
rules
and regulations adopted by
1

the corporation
1
in
accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1
et seq.).� After reviewing a contested citation, the corporation shall send a
copy of its final decision to the registered owner contesting the citation with
instructions for the registered owner�s options to either pay the fine or
appeal the corporation�s decision.

����
c.���� A registered owner
contesting a citation pursuant to subsection a. of this section may appeal a
final decision issued by the corporation pursuant to subsection b. of this
section to the New Jersey Superior Court
1
.

���� 6.��� a.� Citations issued by
the corporation for covered violations captured by bus obstruction monitoring
systems shall be sent by mail to the owner of the motor vehicle within 15
calendar days of the date of the covered violation.

���� b.��� If an owner or operator
is found to be in violation of P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill) by means of a bus obstruction
monitoring system, a fine of $45 shall be imposed for the first offense. �Subsequent
violations within any
12-month period
from the
date of the first offense shall increase by $45, with a maximum fine of up to
$135.� If no further violations occur within a
12-month
period
, the fine structure shall reset. �For the purposes of calculating
subsequent fines, the number of covered violations shall be associated with a
motor vehicle's registration number and shall not be associated with the
identity of the operator.

���� c.���� If a motor vehicle
leasing or rental business receives a citation for a covered violation and
submits to the corporation, within 30 days of the date on which the citation
was mailed, a copy of the rental or lease agreement identifying the name and
address of the lessee or renter who had custody and control of the motor
vehicle at the time of the covered violation, and proof that the rental period
included the date and time of the covered violation, then upon receipt of such
documentation, the corporation shall reissue the citation to the identified
lessee or renter, and no fine shall be imposed on the leasing or rental
business.

���� d.���
1
If an
owner or operator has failed to pay three or more fines issued pursuant to
subsection b. of this section, the corporation may notify the New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission in a form and manner prescribed by the commission. �Upon
receiving such notice, the commission may suspend the driver�s license, or the
registration of the motor vehicle, of an owner or operator who has not paid or
otherwise satisfied three or more fines issued pursuant to subsection b. of
this section.� However, after issuing such notice, if the fines are
subsequently paid or if the case is dismissed or otherwise disposed of, the
corporation shall promptly notify the commission of the subsequent payment,
dismissal, or disposal.

����
e.
1
�� The
corporation may retain any fines collected pursuant to this section to cover
the administrative costs of administering the bus obstruction monitoring system
program.� Any excess revenue from fines collected pursuant to this section
shall be used to fund Access Link services.

����
1
[
e.
]

f.
1
����� The
corporation shall not enter into any agreement for bus obstruction monitoring
systems or bus obstruction monitoring system operator services that bases
contractor compensation on the amount of revenue generated in monetary fines
collected pursuant to this section.

����
1
[
f.
]

g.
1
����� The
corporation shall implement the bus obstruction monitoring system program as
follows:�

���� (1)�� For a period of 180 days
beginning on the date of implementation of the bus obstruction monitoring
system program, the corporation shall conduct a public education and awareness
campaign regarding the corporation�s implementation of the bus obstruction
monitoring system program.� The campaign shall include, but not be limited to,
bus exterior advertising, web-based and social media outreach, and press
events.� The corporation shall also provide the public with information about
the bus obstruction monitoring system program on the corporation�s Internet
website commencing at the start of the implementation of the program; and

���� (2)�� Prior to issuing any
citations or fines for covered violations pursuant to this section, the
corporation shall issue only warning notices for a period of 90 days, which
period shall begin 90 days after the date of implementation of the bus
obstruction monitoring system program.

����� 7.�� The
New Jersey Transit Corporation shall submit an annual report to the Governor
and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the
Legislature regarding the corporation�s implementation of bus obstruction
monitoring systems.� At a minimum, the report shall include the:

����� a.�� total
number of citations issued under the program for that year, broken down by bus
route and violation type;

����� b.�� amount
of revenue generated from fine collections under the program for that year and
the allocation of the revenue, broken down by bus route and violation type; and

����� c.�� impact
on bus service efficiency including, but not limited to, average travel speed,
schedule adherence, reduction in delays and safety improvements at designated
enforcement locations, illegal parking, and traffic congestion.

���� 8.��� The New Jersey Transit
Corporation may adopt and promulgate, pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure
Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be
necessary for the implementation of P.L. , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).� Such rules and regulations may include, but shall
not be limited to, procedures for:

���� (1) administering the issuance
of citations and contesting citations;

���� (2) establishing and
maintaining the bus obstruction monitoring systems and associated data security
protocols;

���� (3) training and certification
of bus obstruction monitoring system operators; and

���� (4) verifying claims for
dismissal of citations.

���� 9.��� This act shall take
effect 90 days after enactment.