Bill Proposes Notifying Police Departments of Residents' License Suspensions

An Ocean County legislator's proposal to have the state Motor Vehicle Commission notify local police departments when a resident's license is suspended passed the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee Thursday.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. James Holzapfel (R-Ocean), would require the motor vehicle agency to electronically transmit license suspension information to police departments when a resident has his or her license suspended.

Holzapfel said in a statement Thursday he introduced the bill at the urging of several small municipalities that requested they receive this information because it could help determine who may be operating vehicles without a valid license.

"Many small town police departments in New Jersey are unaware that illegal drivers are still on their roads because they are not informed," said Holzapfel. "If law enforcement agencies are made aware of these drivers from the Motor Vehicle Commission many of these illegal drivers will not be able to slip through the cracks thus keeping our roads and townships safer."

In order to be enacted as law, the bill would have to pass a vote by the entire state Senate and Assembly and be signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie.

Toms River already uses a license plate scanner to identify vehicles that may be unregistered as officers are out on patrol. Transmitting residents' license suspensions would be another component of the data.