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A2329
ASSEMBLY, No. 2329
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DeAngelo, Assemblywoman Tucker and Assemblyman
Venezia
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes "NJpass Program" to provide
discounted fares to eligible organizations; establishes "GO NJ Transit
Card Program" to develop transit cards that can be used to purchase any
NJT service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning discounted New Jersey Transit
Corporation fares 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.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
���� �Approved class� means a group
of employees, clients, students, or customers of an eligible organization.
���� �Corporation� means the New
Jersey Transit Corporation, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1979,
c.150 (C.27:25-4).
���� �Eligible organization� means
any provider of a training program including, but not limited to, a provider of
a training program listed on the Department of Labor and Workforce Development�s
State Eligible Training Provider List, an apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship
program sponsor, a provider of an alternate route to certification program
approved by the State Board of Education, an institution of higher education, a
private occupational school, an employer, a State or local government agency,
and a public or nonprofit social service provider in the State.
���� �
GO
NJ Transit Card Program� means the program established pursuant to section 3 of
P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� �New Jersey Transit
Corporation service� or �corporation service� means motorbus regular route
service and rail passenger service, including light rail service, operated by
or under contract to the New Jersey Transit Corporation.
���� �
NJpass
Program� means the program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.��� , c.���
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� �State Eligible Training
Provider List� means the Statewide list of eligible training providers
maintained pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2005, c.354 (C.34:15C-10.2).
���� �Transit card� means the �GO
NJ Transit Card� established pursuant to section 3 of
P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� 2.��� a.� No later than one
year after the effective date of
P.L. , c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), the New Jersey Transit
Corporation shall establish and implement the �NJpass Program.�� The purpose of
the NJpass Program shall be to support workforce development and increase
access to public transportation in the State by providing
discounted
rates to approved classes of eligible organizations when purchasing a ticket or
pass for a New Jersey Transit Corporation service
.
���� b.��� To
carry out the purposes of the NJpass Program, the corporation shall contract
with eligible organizations, that have been approved by the corporation to
participate in the NJpass Program pursuant to subsection d. of this section, to
provide discounted rates to approved classes of the eligible organizations.�
The amount of the discounted rate to be provided and the manner in which the
discounted rate is to be provided shall be determined by the corporation during
the process of entering into a contract with an approved eligible organization
pursuant to subsection d. of this section.
���� c.���� The
corporation shall establish eligibility criteria and develop an application
process for eligible organizations to apply to participate in the NJpass
Program.� An eligible organization that seeks to participate in the NJpass Program
shall submit an application to the corporation in a form and manner prescribed
by the corporation.� In addition to any other information that the corporation
deems appropriate, the application shall require the eligible organization to
submit information demonstrating that the organization meets the eligibility
requirements to be established by the corporation pursuant to this subsection.
���� d.��� The
corporation may approve applications for the NJpass Program on a rolling
basis.� Upon approval of an application, the corporation and the eligible
organization shall have the opportunity to negotiate the terms and conditions
of the contract to be entered into pursuant to this subsection, including, but
not limited to, the amount of the discounted fares to be offered and the types
of corporation services to be accessed under the
NJpass Program.� Following any negotiations necessary between the
corporation and the eligible organization, the corporation shall enter into a
contract with the eligible organization to provide discounted group rates to
the approved class of the eligible organization.� The terms and conditions of
the contract shall include, at a minimum:
���� (1)�� the
discounted rates to be offered to the approved class of the eligible
organization;
���� (2)�� specific
information as to what the approved class of the eligible organization will be;
���� (3)�� information
concerning any limitations on times of use or types of corporation services
available to the approved class; and
���� (4)�� the
amount of compensation or reimbursement required from the eligible organization,
if any, to cover the administrative costs of the corporation.
���� e.���� A
contract under the NJpass Program shall be valid upon the approval of the corporation
for a term of not more than two years, except that the first contract with an
eligible organization shall not exceed 12 months. �Prior to any renewal of a
contract with an eligible organization under the NJpass Program, the corporation
shall consider any corporation service expenditure increases incurred by the corporation
for the purpose of re-evaluating the amount of compensation or reimbursement that
may be required, if any.
���� f.���� Information
concerning the NJpass Program, including, but not limited to, the eligibility
criteria and application process established pursuant to subsection c. of this
section, shall be published on the corporation�s Internet website and updated
as necessary.
���� g.��� No
later than two years after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), and annually thereafter, the corporation
shall submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991,
c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, on the effectiveness of the NJpass Program
in supporting workforce development and increasing access to public
transportation in the State.� The report shall also specifically include
information on each contract with an eligible organization that was entered
into, or already in existence, during that year.
���� h. �� In
establishing and implementing the NJpass Program, the corporation shall
consider efforts other states have taken to establish and implement similar
programs.
���� 3.��� a.�
No later than
one year after the effective date of
P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), the corporation shall establish and
implement the �GO NJ Transit Card Program.�� The purpose of the GO NJ Transit
Card Program shall be to develop GO NJ Transit Cards and a system in which the
transit cards can be purchased and utilized to purchase a ticket or pass for any
New Jersey Transit Corporation service in the State.�
���� b.��� An
individual who purchases a transit card shall load money onto the transit card,
in an amount determined by the individual, except that a minimum of $10 shall
be loaded on the transit card at all times. �Once money has been loaded onto
the transit card, the transit card can be used to purchase a ticket or pass for
any corporation service within the State.� Money loaded onto the transit card
shall never expire.
���� c.���� In
establishing the transit cards under the GO NJ Transit Card Program, the
corporation shall:
���� (1)
develop and implement a fare capping system to ensure individuals who utilize a
transit card are paying the lowest authorized fare for any period of travel,
without having to pay the full cost upfront; and
���� (2)�� provide
discounted fares, in an amount to be determined by the corporation, to transit
card users, which are to be in addition to any other discounted fares already
provided by the corporation, including, but not limited to, the discounted
fares provided to any senior citizen or person with a disability who receives reduced
fares for transportation provided by the corporation, or provided under
contract with the corporation, pursuant to P.L.1973, c.126 (C.27:1A-64 et
seq.).
���� d.��� Information
concerning the GO NJ Transit Card Program, including, but not limited to,
information on where the transit cards can be purchased and the types of
discounts that will be available to transit card users shall be published on
the corporation�s Internet website and updated as necessary.
���� e.���� No
later than two years after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), and annually thereafter, the corporation
shall submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991,
c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, on the effectiveness of the GO NJ
Transit Card Program in increasing access to public transportation in the
State.
���� f.���� In
establishing and implementing the GO NJ Transit Card Program, the corporation
shall consider efforts other states have taken to establish and implement
similar programs.
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the New
Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) to establish the
�NJpass Program� and the �GO NJ Transit Card Program.�
���� The
purpose of the NJpass Program is to support workforce development and increase
access to public transportation in the State by providing discounted rates to
approved classes of certain eligible organizations when purchasing a ticket or
pass for a New Jersey Transit Corporation service (corporation service).� Under
the program, the corporation would be required to contract with eligible
organizations that have been approved by the corporation to participate in the NJpass
Program to provide discounted rates to approved classes of the eligible
organizations.
���� The
corporation would be required to establish eligibility criteria and develop an
application process for eligible organizations to apply to participate in the
NJpass Program.� Upon approval of an application, the corporation and the
eligible organization will have the opportunity to negotiate the terms and
conditions of the contract to be entered into, including, but not limited to,
the amount of the discounted fares to be offered and the types of corporation
services to be accessed under the
NJpass
Program.� Following any negotiations necessary between the corporation and the
eligible organization, the corporation will enter into a contract with the
eligible organization to provide discounted group rates to the approved class
of the eligible organization.� The terms and conditions of the contract are
required to include, at a minimum: (1) the discounted rates to be offered to
the approved class of the eligible organization; (2) specific information as to
what the approved class of the eligible organization will be; (3) information
concerning any limitations on times of use or types of corporation services
available to the approved class; and (4) the amount of compensation or
reimbursement required from the eligible organization, if any, to cover the
administrative costs of the corporation.� A contract under the NJpass Program will
be valid upon the approval of the corporation for a term of not more than two
years, except that the first contract with an eligible organization cannot
exceed 12 months. �
���� The bill also requires the
corporation to establish the
�GO NJ Transit Card
Program.�� The purpose of the GO NJ Transit Card Program is to develop GO NJ
Transit Cards (transit cards) and a system in which the transit cards can be
purchased and utilized to purchase a ticket or pass for any corporation service
in the State.� Under the program, transit cards would be available for
purchase.� Individuals who purchase a transit card would be able to load money
onto the transit card and utilize the transit card to purchase a ticket or pass
for any corporation service within the State.� Money loaded onto a transit card
never expires.� In establishing the transit cards under the GO NJ Transit Card
Program, the corporation is required to: (1) develop and implement a fare
capping system to ensure individuals who utilize a transit card are paying the
lowest authorized fare for any period of travel, without having to pay the full
cost upfront; and (2) provide discounted fares, in an amount to be determined
by the corporation, to transit card users, which are to be in addition to any other
discounted fares already provided by the corporation, including, but not
limited to, the discounted fares provided to any senior citizen or person with
a disability who receives reduced fares for transportation provided by the
corporation, or provided under contract with the corporation.
����
The
bill requires the corporation to publish information concerning the NJpass
Program and the GO NJ Transit Card Program on its Internet website and update
the information as necessary.� The bill also requires the corporation to submit
reports to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of each of the
programs established by the bill.� In establishing and implementing the
programs, the corporation is required to consider the efforts other states have
taken to implement similar programs.