Let NJ Drivers Pay Fees With Community Service, Sen. Rice Says

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A proposed law in New Jersey would allow cash-strapped drivers to perform community service instead of paying fees to the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC).

The bill, S-3332, passed the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee earlier this week. Read the full text.

“There are many people around the state who are unable to afford paying additional charges for driver’s licenses,” said one of the bills’ sponsors, Sen. Ronald Rice.

Rice, a Democrat who represents the 28th District (Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Newark and Nutley), said that working families shouldn’t be punished because they can’t afford fees at the MVC.

If it becomes law, the bill would also provide communities across the state with some much-needed people power, Rice added.

“Community service fosters civic engagement and helping out others who are also struggling,” Rice said. “We believe this alternative option will have the most positive impact in local communities.”

The bill’s other sponsor, Sen. Sandra Cunningham of the 31st District (Bayonne, Jersey City), said that when a person’s license is suspended because they can’t pay fines, it makes it much harder to get to work. Ironically, that can make it tougher to pay back their fines in the first place, she said.

“By allowing people to perform community service in place of monetary payment and reinstating their licenses once they start service, we are both recognizing the legitimacy of their inability to pay and respecting the necessity of driving,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham pointed out that legislation to remove MVC fines entirely currently sits on the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy. But in the meanwhile, S-3332 would create a pathway to success for struggling New Jersey residents until fines are eliminated altogether.

Rice and Cunningham released a joint statement about their proposed law:

“The bill, S-3332, would establish a Motor Vehicle Surcharge Community Service Program. The program would allow people who are unemployed or unable to pay the fees to perform community service instead of paying motor vehicle surcharges. The bill would require the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to waive motor vehicle surcharges imposed on applicants who meet the above criteria and complete a community service project in participating counties and municipalities.”

Rice and Cunningham added:

“Under the bill, if an applicant’s driving privileges have been suspended for failure to pay surcharges, the Chief Administrator of the MVC would be required to reinstate those privileges when the applicant commences the community services program. If the applicant fails to complete the program, his or her total outstanding surcharges and any accrued interest would become immediately due. In addition, the applicant’s driving privilege would again be suspended until the applicant satisfies the outstanding surcharge assessment. If the program were successfully completed, the bill would require the Chief Administrator of the MVC to waive all surcharges and interest levied for accumulated motor vehicle points and those levied for violations that do not require points.”

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