Sponsors: Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew (D1) and Matt Ahearn (D38)

Sponsors: Senators James S. Cafiero (R1) and Joseph A. Palaia (R11)

Summary: These bills set forth the Legislature's reasons for continuing the State's statutory prohibition against the operation of self-service gas stations. The bills explain, among other things, that the ban should be continued to guard against fire and health hazards to consumers and because the increased cost of insuring such stations will have an adverse economic impact on consumers and service station proprietors. Significantly, the bill also provides that a continued ban will ensure that service stations remain accessible to people with disabilities who require assistance to fuel their vehicles.

Current Status: Senate Commerce Committee

Legislative Activity:
3/25/02 Introduced and referred to Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee
5/09/02 Reported out of committee, 2nd reading in Assembly
5/20/02 Passed in Assembly 66-4-6
5/30/02 Received in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce Committee

Current Status: Senate Commerce Committee

Legislative Activity: 3/26/02 Introduced and referred to Senate Commerce Committee.

Sponsor: Senator Gerald Cardinale (R39)

Bill Title: Full Service -- Self-Service-- Personal Freedom Fuel Dispensing Act

Summary: This bill would remove the ban on self-service gas stations with the intent of reducing the cost of motor fuel as a result of the cost savings that proprietors would realize by not having to employ attendants for all pumping stations. The bill would require self-service stations to have an attendant available at no extra charge during daylight business hours to assist seniors and people with disabilities who request assistance.

Comments: The bill makes no provision for seniors and people with disabilities to obtain assistance at self-service stations during evening hours. Moreover, the sponsor notes that even though the ADA requires self-service facilities to be accessible to people with disabilities, the lack of effective assistance for individuals who are unable to pump their own gas is a prevalent and persistent problem in the 48 states that currently permit self-service stations.

Current Status: Senate Commerce Committee

Legislative Activity: 2/21/02 Introduced and referred to Senate Commerce Committee

Last Session: S1259

Sponsors: Assemblyman Melvin Cottrell (R30) and Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R39)

Sponsors: Senator Diane Allen (R7)

Summary: Allocates to Independent Living Centers all fines collected by municipalities for violations involving accessible parking spots.

Comments: This bill would allocate fines from municipal "handicapped parking" violations to nonprofit community-based regional centers for independent living, operating under the New Jersey Independent Living Advisory Council. These centers provide independent living skills training, peer counseling, referral and advocacy for individuals with disabilities.

Action Taken: When this bill was pending before the prior session of the Legislature, a NJCDD Legislative Coordinator testified before the Assembly Senior Issues and Community Services Committee on June 19, 2000. The NJCDD neither opposed nor supported the proposed legislation, but questioned whether the bill would have a negative impact on local enforcement of accessible parking laws by diverting all funds collected from fines imposed for illegal parking in accessible parking spaces from the municipalities charged with such enforcement. The NJCDD raised the question of whether the diversion of funds from municipalities would reduce the incentive for local police forces to aggressively enforce the parking law by regularly writing tickets to offenders illegally parked in spaces designated for people with disabilities. The community has not expressed a clear consensus regarding this legislation, given the need for enhanced enforcement as well as the need for additional funding for independent living centers. Instead, advocates and consumers have expressed support for related bills proposing to raise the fine for parking in accessible spots.

Current Status: Assembly Senior Issues Committee

Legislative Activity: 1/8/02 Introduced and referred to Assembly Senior Issues Committee

Last Session: A2101 (reported out of committee and referred to Appropriations Committee)

Current Status: Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

Legislative Activity: 5/13/02 Introduced and referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

Last Session: S177

Sponsor: Senator Andrew R. Ciesla (R10)

Summary: Increases the fines and penalties for parking in a space designated as "handicapped parking"

Comments: This bill proposes to raise the fine for a first offense of illegal parking in a spot designated as "handicapped parking" from $100 to $300, and to raise the fine for a second offense from at least $100 to $150. The bill would also change the permissive sentence of up to 90 days of community service to a mandatory sentence of 120 days of community service.

Current Status: Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee

Legislative Activity: 1/16/03 Introduced and referred to Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee

Sponsors: Senators Bob Smith (D17) and Diane B. Allen (R7)

Summary: Creates a requirement for power-assisted door openers on certain public buildings; establishes grant program and appropriates $600,000

Comments: This bill amends the barrier free sub-code to require that every accessible entranceway to a building owned or utilized by a municipality or a county that requires greater than 10 pounds of pull in order to be opened manually be equipped with a power-assisted door opener. The bill also creates a grant program in the Department of Community Affairs to assist counties and municipalities with the costs of purchasing and installing power-assisted door openers. The bill appropriates $600,000 for the purposes of the grant program.

Current Status: Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee