This bill aims to protect consumers who utilize vouchers from government assistance programs, such as the Work First New Jersey program, by prohibiting self-service storage facilities from imposing certain punitive fees. Specifically, the bill states that owners of these facilities cannot charge late fees, pre-foreclosure fees, or fees to unlock access to storage units when payment is delayed due to the issuing authority of the voucher. This change addresses the current practice where storage facilities may penalize consumers for missed payment deadlines, even when the delay is not the consumer's fault.

Violations of this bill will result in a civil penalty of $1,000 for the first offense, which will be enforced by the Director of Consumer Affairs. Subsequent violations will be classified as unlawful practices under the consumer fraud act, leading to higher penalties and potential legal actions, including cease and desist orders and the possibility of treble damages for affected consumers. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.