Requires notice of motor vehicle safety recalls upon inspection and registration of motor vehicle; requires motor vehicle manufacturers to pay annual fee to MVC.
Summary
Assembly Bill 2045 would require New Jersey motor vehicle inspection facilities, including licensed private inspection stations, to check National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall information when a vehicle is inspected and to give the owner written notice of any open safety recalls. The notice must describe each recall and explain that repairs can generally be made at no cost by a manufacturer-approved dealer, subject to federal law.
The bill also directs the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to check for open recalls before issuing a registration or sending a renewal notice. If a vehicle has unresolved recalls, the owner must have the repairs completed before the next registration renewal and provide proof to the MVC. The MVC would be required to deny renewal if the recalls are not fixed, although it must grant six-month extensions when parts or equipment are unavailable and may grant one additional six-month extension for hardship or circumstances beyond the owner’s control.
Impact
This bill would add a new recall-screening and notice process to New Jersey’s vehicle inspection and registration system, effectively tying registration renewal to the repair of open safety recalls. It would supplement Title 39 of the Revised Statutes by imposing duties on inspection stations and the MVC, creating a new owner obligation to remedy recalls before renewal, and authorizing the MVC to withhold registration renewal in noncompliant cases. The bill also provides limited liability protection for the MVC, its designated employees, and private inspection facilities, while preserving existing common-law liability for manufacturers and authorized dealers.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive of vehicle safety and consumer awareness, with its core purpose focused on getting motorists informed about unresolved recalls and encouraging prompt repairs. Because no committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from lawmakers in the available record. The structure of the bill suggests a policy preference for stronger enforcement of recall completion, tempered by exceptions for unavailable parts and hardship.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the registration consequences for owners whose vehicles have unresolved recalls and the administrative burden placed on the MVC and inspection facilities. Vehicle owners may object to being denied renewal for a condition that often depends on manufacturer repair availability, while dealers and manufacturers may be affected indirectly by increased repair demand. The bill addresses some of these concerns by allowing extensions when parts are unavailable or when hardship exists, and by limiting liability for the MVC and inspection stations except in cases of gross negligence.
Carry Over
Requires notice of motor vehicle safety recalls upon inspection and registration of motor vehicle; requires motor vehicle manufacturers to pay annual fee to MVC.