New Jersey is one of the top 3 states with the lowest number of uninsured motorists. Currently, it is at 3.1%. And NJ is working to drop that number even lower with Assembly bill 151 – to establish an “accessible system for online verification of the evidence of motor vehicle insurance. The goal of the system is to assist in the identification of uninsured motorists in the most effective way possible during its 9-month pilot program. It provides that when the commission has reason to believe that a motor vehicle has been or is currently being operated without insurance, the commission may suspend or revoke the owner’s motor vehicle registration. The registration will not be reinstated and a new registration will not be issued unless evidence of insurance has been provided to the commission and any applicable reinstatement fees as prescribed
by the commission have been paid. It also provides that not more than 2 years after the establishment of the online insurance verification system, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, after consultation with representatives of the motor vehicle insurance industry, will report to the Governor and to the Legislature as to the costs for the system incurred by the commission, insurers and the public.”
Questions that you might have, and I hope to have addressed during my podcast are:
(1) What can really be accomplished in 9 months, and at what cost?
(2) is there any budget parameters set up for this pilot program or is it a blank check that will be revealed two years later when the report is given to the Governor
(3) the bill states “if the commission has reason to believe that a motor vehicle has been currently operated without insurance that the vehicle registration may be suspended” – is “has reason to believe” the same as “proof”?
To follow Bill Text: NJ A151 go to: https://legiscan.com/NJ/text/A151/id/2474500