Read the full stored bill text
A1601
ASSEMBLY, No. 1601
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen McGuckin, Stanley and Assemblywoman Flynn
SYNOPSIS
���� Authorizes schools to administer commercial driver
license exam and other motor vehicle services for school bus drivers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning the licensing of school bus drivers
and amending P.L.1990, c.103.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� Section 4 of P.L.1990,
c.103 (C.39:3-10.12) is amended to read as follows:
���� 4.� a.� Notwithstanding any
other provision of law to the contrary, the chief administrator shall adopt and
administer a classified licensing system and a program for testing and ensuring
the fitness of persons to operate commercial motor vehicles in accordance with
the minimum federal standards established under the federal "Commercial
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986," Pub. L. 99-570 (49 U.S.C. s. 2701 et
seq.) and the regulations promulgated pursuant to that law.� The chief
administrator shall not issue a commercial driver license to a person unless
that person passes a knowledge and skills test for the operation of a
commercial motor vehicle which complies with the federal standards.� The chief
administrator may issue commercial driver examination or learner's permits,
subject to such conditions and restrictions as deemed necessary, to carry out
the provisions of this act.
���� b.��� A knowledge and skills
test shall not be required by the chief administrator for the renewal of a
commercial driver license issued pursuant to the provisions of this act.�
However, a knowledge and skills test may be required for (1) the renewal of an
endorsement permitting the operation of vehicles required to be placarded for
hazardous materials, (2)
[
for
]
the renewal
or reissuance of a commercial driver license if the license was suspended or
revoked under section 12 of this act during the last license period preceding
the renewal or reissuance, or (3)
[
for
]
the renewal
or reissuance of a license which had not been renewed for a period of three or
more years.
���� c.���� Upon the request of an
applicant for a commercial driver license, the chief administrator shall
administer to the applicant oral knowledge tests for the commercial driver
license and any endorsements if the applicant supplies sufficient proof or
otherwise demonstrates to the satisfaction of the chief administrator his
inability to comprehend a written test. The chief administrator shall provide
an English and Spanish version of the knowledge tests for a commercial driver
license and for any endorsements and shall be authorized to provide versions in
such other languages as
[
he,
in his discretion,
]
the chief administrator
may deem appropriate.
���� d.��� A person who
satisfactorily completes the knowledge tests required by this act for a
commercial driver license and any endorsement shall not be required under
R.S.39:3-10, R.S.39:3-10.1, or any other section in Title 39 of the Revised
Statutes to take any other knowledge test for the operation of a commercial
motor vehicle.
���� e.���� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.2005, c.147).
���� f.���� For the purposes of an
application for a commercial driver license by a person who has never held a
license issued under the provisions of this act, a person who satisfactorily
completes the knowledge test for the commercial driver license but not the test
for an endorsement, or a person who satisfactorily completes the knowledge test
for an endorsement but not the test for the commercial driver license, shall
not be required to retake that test which was satisfactorily completed.
���� g.��� No provision in this
act, or in any manual, test, or administrative procedure developed to implement
the provisions of this act, shall be deemed to expand the requirements for
commercial motor vehicle operators concerning pre-trip inspection, after-trip inspection
and inspection during a trip as such requirements are set forth in federal law
or regulation.� This subsection, however, shall not be deemed to limit the
authority of the chief administrator, or the authority of any State department
or agency, to promulgate, pursuant to other provisions of State law, standards
and procedures on vehicle inspections which are consistent with federal law and
regulation.
���� h.��� Classified licensing of
drivers of school buses shall be by endorsement on the commercial driver
licenses issued pursuant to P.L.1990, c.103 (C.39:3-10.9 et seq.).
����
i.���� Subject to the rules
and regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection by the chief administrator,
a school district may administer at a school facility the necessary motor
vehicle services to assist an individual in becoming a school bus driver, including
provision of the commercial driver license manual, identification verification,
processing of the permit fee, application for the passenger endorsement, school
bus endorsement and any other endorsement that may be required by the
commission, and administration of any applicable knowledge test; provided,
however, that the road test shall not be administered by the school district.�
The commission shall implement a program that promotes the administration of
these motor vehicle services for prospective school bus drivers at school
facilities pursuant to this subsection.� The chief administrator shall
promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this
subsection and the commission shall coordinate with school districts for the
administration of such services.�
(cf: P.L.2005, c.147, s.3)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill authorizes the
administration of all motor vehicle services associated with becoming a school
bus driver, except for the road test, by school districts, subject to rules and
regulations promulgated by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission (MVC).� The bill requires the MVC to implement a program
that promotes the administration of these motor vehicle services at school
facilities and requires the MVC to coordinate with school districts for the
administration of the these services for prospective school bus drivers.