This bill seeks to prohibit the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) from charging tolls for the use of any highway projects they operate. It declares that any existing laws, rules, or regulations that allow these authorities to impose tolls will be null and void. The NJTA is mandated to adopt new rules and regulations to enforce this prohibition, which may involve amending or repealing current regulations related to toll collection. Additionally, the bill amends Section 5 of the NJTA's governing law, removing the general powers related to toll collection and replacing them with provisions that permit the authority to charge fees for transportation projects, excluding tolls.

Moreover, the bill aims to transfer ownership of the Garden State Arts Center and its facilities to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. It also prohibits the SJTA from charging tolls for highway projects, rendering any existing references to tolls in law, rule, or regulation null and void. The SJTA will be required to adopt necessary rules and regulations to implement these changes, and the bill amends several sections of current law to reflect these updates, including granting the SJTA the ability to charge fares and other charges for transit services, while repealing outdated sections related to toll collection. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 27:23-5, 27:25A-7, 27:25A-19, 27:25A-42