Bill Introduced To Protect NJ Drivers From Out-Of-State Traffic Fines

Senator Declan O’Scanlon introduced the bipartisan Automated Enforcement Inoculation Act to protect New Jersey drivers from predatory fines for certain out-of-state traffic violations.

“At a time when bipartisanship seemed rare, New Jersey legislators came together to prioritize truth over profit and banned the use of automated enforcement within our borders. Despite soundly rejecting these systems, it has not stopped corrupt companies from reaching into our wallets from out of state. We need to pass this bill to firmly shut the door on this government sanctioned theft and protect our residents from predatory fines,” said Sen. O’Scanlon (R-13).

Sen. O’Scanlon’s bill, S-3067, would prevent the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and other state entities from disclosing the personal information of New Jersey driver’s license holders to help another state impose or collect a fine for alleged violations captured by automated camera ticketing systems.

“While half of all states have rejected these corrupt schemes, there is no reason why we should allow our MVC to be complicit with those who haven’t,” Sen. O’Scanlon continued. “Studies have shown that camera enforcement is a flawed system that provides no safety benefit for drivers.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a chart ranking fatality rates per 100 million miles traveled in all 50 states. The red-shaded states employ automated enforcement. Another chart displays the percentage of rate change from 2019-2020.

“If these systems improved safety you’d expect the red-shaded states to be consistently at the top of the list with lower fatality rates than states who do not use camera enforcement. That’s decidedly not the case,” Sen. O’Scanlon concluded. “They are nothing more than a mechanism to impose regressive taxes that preys most viciously on the poor. The Automated Enforcement Inoculation Act would defend our residents against a corrupt industry that profits off debunked claims of improved public safety.”

Senator O’Scanlon sponsored an identical version of S-3067 during the last legislative session, which passed the Senate unanimously.