LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 3424
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 9, 2023
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Authorizes surviving spouse or family member of decedent to use
motor vehicle registration certificate of decedent until registration
certificate expires.
Type of Impact: Annual decrease in State and local revenues.
Agencies Affected: State, counties, and municipalities.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual Impact
State Revenue Decrease Indeterminate
Local Revenue Decrease Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill may result in an indeterminate
decrease in State and local revenues by reducing the number of persons who would be fined
for operating a motor vehicle without a valid registration.
 In most circumstances, the bill is expected to extend the period of time in which the family
member of a decedent may lawfully operate the decedent’s motor vehicle. As a result, this bill
is expected to reduce the number of instances in which a person would be deemed to operate a
motor vehicle without valid registration, thereby decreasing the amount of associated fine
collections.
 The State does not appear to maintain data concerning (1) the number of instances in which a
family member of a decedent is fined for operating the decedent’s motor vehicle more than 30
days after the person’s death; and (2) the amount of fines imposed on such persons.
Consequently, the OLS is unable to quantify the fiscal impact of the bill.
 When a person is fined for a motor vehicle violation, the fine collections are either retained by
the State or divided equally between the host municipality and host county depending on
whether the fine was imposed by a State or local law enforcement officer. Accordingly, the
impact of reduced fine collections would be spread between the State, counties, and
municipalities.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill authorizes the surviving spouse or other family member of a decedent to operate the
decedent’s motor vehicle upon the public highways of this State under the decedent’s registration
certificate until the expiration of that registration certificate. New Jersey law currently provides a
surviving spouse or other family members 30 days to operate a vehicle under a decedent’s
registration certificate.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that this bill may result in an indeterminate decrease in State and local
revenues by reducing the number of persons who would be fined for operating a motor vehicle
without a valid registration.
Under current law, after the owner of a motor vehicle has died, a member of the decedent’s
family may only operate the motor vehicle during the 30-day period following the person’s death.
The bill instead provides that a family member of the decedent may operate the motor vehicle until
the expiration of the existing registration certificate. In general, the registration certificate would
terminate upon the transfer of ownership of the motor vehicle or the original expiration date,
whichever occurs earlier.
In most circumstances, the bill is expected to extend the period of time in which the family
member of a decedent may lawfully operate the decedent’s motor vehicle. As a result, this bill is
expected to reduce the number of instances in which a person would be deemed to operate a motor
vehicle without valid registration, thereby decreasing the amount of associated fine collections.
However, the State does not appear to maintain data concerning (1) the number of instances in
which a family member of a decedent is fined for operating the decedent’s motor vehicle more
than 30 days after the person’s death; and (2) the amount of fines imposed on such persons.
Consequently, the OLS is unable to quantify the fiscal impact of the bill.
Regardless, the OLS notes that when a person is fined for operating a motor vehicle without
valid registration, the collections are either retained by the State or divided equally between the
host municipality and host county depending on whether the fine was imposed by a State or local
law enforcement officer. Accordingly, the impact of reduced fine collections would be spread
between the State, counties, and municipalities.
Section: Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications
Analyst: Michael D. Walker
Assistant Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
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This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39:3-30.3