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S2559 STR Statement 5/11/26
SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No.
2559
with
committee amendments
STATE
OF NEW JERSEY
DATED:
�MAY 11,
2026
����� The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably
and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2559.
����� As amended and reported, the bill
requires the New Jersey Transit
Corporation (corporation) to issue citations for covered violations as
evidenced by recorded images captured by bus obstruction monitoring systems. �The
bill requires an officer with the New Jersey Transit Police Department
(department) or an employee of the corporation that has been designated,
trained, and certified by the department to review citations for covered
violations to review recorded images for covered violations. �The corporation
is required to 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 to be equipped with bus obstruction monitoring systems is to be
determined by the corporation. �Under the bill, a bus obstruction monitoring
system may only be used if it is operated by a bus obstruction monitoring
system operator and a sign is affixed to the bus alerting drivers that the bus
is equipped with a bus obstruction monitoring system.
���� Under
the bill, a bus obstruction monitoring system is to only retain recorded images
of motor vehicles that contain evidence of a covered violation.� Recorded
images from a bus obstruction monitoring system may be retained for up to six
months or 60 days after final disposition of the citation, whichever is later,
if the record images contain evidence of a covered violation.� If the recorded
images do not contain evidence of a covered violation, the recorded images are
to be destroyed within 15 days of the recorded images� capture.� Recorded
images are to be stored on secured servers or encrypted digital storage systems
that meet or exceed State information security standards established by the New
Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.� Under the bill, recorded
images are not deemed a government record and are not to 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.� Additionally,
recorded images may not be offered as evidence in any civil or administrative
proceeding not directly related to a covered violation.� A bus obstruction
monitoring system may not use biometric identification techniques, including
facial recognition technology.
���� A
bus obstruction monitoring system operator is required to 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.� Upon
completion of the training, the manufacturer is required to issue a signed
certificate to the bus obstruction monitoring system operator, which
certificate is to be admissible as evidence in any administrative or judicial
proceeding for a covered violation.� In addition, a bus obstruction monitoring
system operator is required to perform manufacturer-specified functionality
tests of each bus obstruction monitoring system prior to the start of daily
service and at regular intervals throughout the day, as required by the
manufacturer. �Each test is to confirm proper operation of the camera, time and
date stamp, location tracking, and image capture functions. �A bus obstruction
monitoring system operator is also required to complete and sign a test
verification log for each bus obstruction monitoring system, which log is to
meet certain requirements under the bill.
���� Under
the bill, no motor vehicle is permitted to stop, stand, or park in a dedicated
bus lane, bus stop zone, or designated bicycle lane.� Citations issued by a bus
obstruction monitoring system for a covered violation may be contested on
certain grounds provided in the bill. An owner or operator of a motor vehicle
who received a citation for a covered violation has 30 days from the date on
which the citation was mailed to contest the alleged covered violation to the
corporation.� After reviewing a contested citation, the corporation is to 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.� A registered owner contesting a citation
may appeal a final decision issued by the corporation to the New Jersey
Superior Court.
���� If
an owner or operator of a motor vehicle violates the bill�s provisions, as
captured by a bus obstruction monitoring system, the owner or operator of the
motor vehicle is subject to a fine of $45 for the first offense. �Subsequent
offenses within a 12-month period are to increase by $45, with a maximum fine
of $135 per offense.� The corporation is permitted to retain any fines
collected to cover administrative costs of administering the bus obstruction
monitoring system program.� Any excess revenue from the fines collected is to
be used to fund Access Link services.� Additionally, the corporation is
prohibited from entering 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.�
If an owner or operator has failed to pay three or more
fines, the corporation may notify the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (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.� However, after issuing such notice, if the fines are
subsequently paid or if the case is dismissed or otherwise disposed of, the
corporation is to promptly notify the commission of the subsequent payment,
dismissal, or disposal.
���� The
corporation is required to
conduct a public education and awareness
campaign regarding the corporation�s implementation of the bus obstruction
monitoring system program for a period of 180 days beginning on the date of
implementation of the bus obstruction monitoring system program
.� T
he campaign is to
include, but not be limited to, bus exterior advertising, web-based and social
media outreach, and press events.
���� In addition, the corporation is required to issue
warning notices prior to issuing any citations or fines for covered violations
for 90 days following the implementation of the bus obstruction monitoring
system program.� Finally,
the
corporation is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and to the
Legislature regarding the bus obstruction monitoring system, which report is to
include certain information outlined in the bill.
����� This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the
2026-2027 session pending technical review.� As reported, the bill includes the
changes required by technical review, which has been performed.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
����� The committee amended the bill to:�
(1)
define the term
�commission�;
(2)
provide that the
recorded images are to be reviewed to determine whether a covered violation has
occurred by either an officer with the department or an employee of the corporation
that has been designated, trained, and certified by the department to review
citations for covered violations, instead of by a contracted law enforcement
agency or a designated employee of the corporation;
(3)
provide that a
citation issued by a bus obstruction monitoring system for a covered violation may
be contested, in part, if a local law enforcement agency or parking authority
has previously issued a citation for the same covered violation.� As
introduced, the bill only pertained to citations issued by parking authorities
for the same incident of a covered violation;
(4)
provide that an owner
or operator is to contest a citation of an alleged covered violation to the
corporation;
(5)
clarify that the
corporation is to adopt rules and regulations to establish procedures
concerning hearings conducted by the corporation for contested citations for a
covered violation under the bill;
(6)
require the corporation
to send a copy of its final decision on a contested citation for a covered
violation 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;
(7)
permit a registered
owner contesting a citation to appeal a final decision issued by the
corporation to the New Jersey Superior Court;
(8)
provide that if an
owner or operator has failed to pay three or more fines the corporation may
notify the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in a form and manner prescribed
by the commission and, 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.� However,
after issuing such notice, if the fines are subsequently paid or if the case is
dismissed or otherwise disposed of, the corporation is required to promptly
notify the commission of the subsequent payment, dismissal, or disposal;
(9)
require the
corporation to conduct a public education and awareness campaign, rather than
issue a public announcement, regarding the corporation�s implementation of the
bus obstruction monitoring system program for a period of 180 days beginning on
the date of implementation of the bus obstruction monitoring system program;
(10)
provide that the public education and awareness campaign under the bill
is to include, but not be limited to, bus exterior advertising, web-based and
social media outreach, and press events;
(11)
require the corporation to 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;
(12)
require the corporation to issue warning notices prior to issuing any
citations or fines for covered violations for 90 days following the
implementation of the bus obstruction monitoring system program, rather than
for a period of 60 days beginning on the date of implementation of active
enforcement; and
(13)
make technical changes.