Prohibits purposeful obstruction of license plate and possession or transfer of merchandise that obstructs license plate.
Assembly Bill 5240 would make it unlawful to operate a motor vehicle with an obstructed license plate and would also prohibit the sale, offer for sale, distribution, transfer, purchase, receipt, or possession of merchandise known to be designed or intended to obstruct a plate. The bill specifically identifies items such as retractable license plate holders, reflective spray, tinted or blackout plate covers, and plate-flipping devices that can alter or conceal a plate’s identifying information.
The bill defines an “obstructed license plate” as a plate, temporary registration certificate, temporary registration plate, or registration plate insert that is purposely concealed or obfuscated to evade law enforcement or toll collection. It sets penalties of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $750 for a second or subsequent offense, and adds motor vehicle penalty points and automobile insurance eligibility points for third and later violations of the operating prohibition. It also provides that a person fined under this bill would not additionally be subject to the separate penalty in existing law for a plate that is not plainly visible due to blurring matter or a frame/holder obstruction.
The bill would add a new section to Title 39 and amend the statutory definition section for motor vehicle law to expressly define “obstructed license plate” and related terms. It would also repeal section 1 of P.L.2015, c.49 and replace that provision with a consolidated framework covering both the act of driving with an obstructed plate and the trafficking or possession of devices intended to conceal plates. In practical terms, the measure would expand enforcement tools for police and toll authorities while clarifying when a plate obstruction is treated as intentional rather than incidental.
The available materials suggest a generally enforcement-oriented and supportive posture toward the bill, with the sponsor framing it as a targeted response to deliberate plate concealment and toll evasion. No committee transcript or recorded vote is provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate in the supplied record. The bill text itself emphasizes intentional misconduct rather than ordinary plate-frame use, indicating an effort to distinguish purposeful evasion from accidental obstruction.
The main policy issue is the scope of the prohibition and how it distinguishes intentional concealment from ordinary plate covers, frames, or other accessories that may incidentally obscure a plate. Another possible point of contention is the bill’s reach into the sale and possession of merchandise designed to obstruct plates, including devices that may be marketed for privacy or aesthetic purposes but can be used for evasion. The bill also carves out newspaper classified advertising from liability, suggesting concern about overbroad secondary liability. Because no hearing or vote record is included, no specific legislators, groups, or witnesses are identified as taking opposing positions.