This bill establishes regulations that prohibit the intentional obstruction of license plates on motor vehicles. It makes it illegal for individuals to operate a vehicle with an obstructed license plate and to sell or possess items designed to obstruct license plates, such as retractable holders, reflective sprays, tinted covers, and flipping devices. The bill specifies that newspapers publishing advertisements for such merchandise will not be held liable. Penalties for violators include fines of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $750 for subsequent offenses, along with potential motor vehicle penalty points for repeated violations.

Additionally, the bill amends existing legal definitions within New Jersey's motor vehicle laws, introducing the term "obstructed license plate" to refer to any registration plate or related documents that have been purposely concealed to evade law enforcement. It also repeals section 1 of P.L.2015, c.49, which previously addressed merchandise intended to obstruct license plates, thereby consolidating the legal framework regarding intentional obstruction into a new section. This streamlining aims to clarify the law and enhance enforcement against those who intentionally obstruct license plates while ensuring that individuals with unintentionally obstructed plates are not penalized under this new provision. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39:3-33