TRENTON, NJ — Assemblymembers Kenyatta Stewart (D-Bergen, Passaic) and Ed Rodriguez (D-Union) introduced legislation to address the way toll violations are processed in New Jersey, including establishing limits on administrative fees, requiring faster notification of violations, and protecting drivers from charges caused by system errors or circumstances outside their control.

Under A5549, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority would be required to send an advisory and payment request to a vehicle owner within 21 days of a toll violation, rather than the current 60-day period. The notice would provide the owner with information about the alleged violation, the toll amount and administrative fee owed, and instructions for resolving the matter before a summons is issued.

The legislation would also establish limits on administrative fees. For tolls under $10, the administrative fee could not exceed $15, while fees for tolls of $10 or more would be based on a proportional sliding-scale structure established by the applicable authority.

“Drivers should not face excessive administrative charges for what may be a simple toll payment issue, particularly when the problem may have resulted from a system error or circumstances outside of their control,” said Assemblyman Kenyatta Stewart. “This legislation establishes clearer rules, gives motorists timely notice, and creates greater accountability in the way toll violations and administrative fees are handled. Our goal is to make the process more transparent and ensure drivers have a meaningful opportunity to resolve a toll issue before it escalates.”

The legislation would also prohibit the authorities from issuing a violation notice or charging an administrative fee when a vehicle is associated with an existing electronic toll collection account with a valid payment method and accurate license plate information, or when the failure to pay resulted from a system error, billing error, equipment failure, or transponder malfunction outside the vehicle owner's control.

“New Jersey drivers deserve a toll violation process that is straightforward and easy to navigate,” said Assemblyman Ed Rodriguez. “People should not be penalized for problems they did not cause. This bill cuts through unnecessary red tape and administrative fees, while also building more trust between drivers and the electronic toll systems they rely on every day. Government should make it easier for people to resolve these violations, not purposefully profit off them.”

The bill would further require future contracts for administration of electronic toll collection systems to provide account holders with the option to consent to toll-violation notifications by text message and opt out of those notifications.

The full text of the bill can be found here.