Permits persons who are hearing impaired to apply for vehicle identification placards.

S3435

SENATE, No. 3435

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Diegnan

SYNOPSIS

���� Permits persons who are hearing impaired to apply for
vehicle identification placards.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning vehicle identification placards for
persons with certain disabilities and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised
Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� Upon application by
any person who has been issued a driver�s license with a numerical code
designating hearing-impairment pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1983, c.493
(C.39:3-11a), the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle
Commission shall issue a corresponding windshield placard for use on a vehicle
owned or operated by the applicant.� The windshield placard shall bear the
international symbol of the deaf and shall be posted or attached to the motor
vehicle in a place and manner to be determined by the chief administrator.� The
commission shall not charge a fee for the issuance of the windshield placard.

���� b.��� Nothing in this section
shall permit a person who uses the windshield placard, issued pursuant to this
section, to receive parking privileges reserved for persons with disabilities,
unless the person is otherwise eligible to receive those parking privileges and
has received a placard or license plate, issued in accordance with P.L.1949,
c.280 (C.39:4-204 et seq.).

���� c.���� Notwithstanding the
provisions of R.S.39:3-74 or any other law, rule, regulation, or order to the
contrary, no citation for a violation of law shall be issued and no penalty or
fine shall be assessed for operating a motor vehicle with a valid windshield placard,
issued pursuant to this section, that is posted or attached in a manner
prescribed by the chief administrator.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the thirteenth month after the date of enactment and
the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may take
such administrative action in advance as may be necessary for the timely implementation
of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill permits any person
who has been issued a driver�s license with the numerical code designating
hearing-impairment to apply to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission (chief administrator) for a corresponding windshield placard
for use on a vehicle owned or operated by the applicant. �The windshield
placard is to bear the international symbol of the deaf, be posted or attached
to the motor vehicle in a place and manner to be determined by the chief
administrator, and be free of charge to applicants. �Under the bill, a person
who uses the windshield placard is not permitted to receive parking privileges
reserved for persons with disabilities, unless the person is otherwise
qualified and authorized to receive those parking privileges. �The bill also
provides that a citation for a violation of law is not to be issued and a
penalty or fine is not to be assessed for operating a motor vehicle with a
valid windshield placard, issued pursuant to this bill.