39:3-19.1 Penalty for violations of section 39:3-19; certain fines to Omnibus Safety Enforcement Fund.

39:3-19.1. Any person owning or operating a motor vehicle who shall use his motor vehicle for transportation of passengers for hire, without having an omnibus registration as provided for in section 39:3-19 of this title, shall be subject to a fine of $250 for a first offense, and the unregistered motor vehicle so used may be impounded. Any offender who shall be convicted of a second or any subsequent offense of the same violation shall be subject to a fine of $500, and the unregistered motor vehicle so used may be impounded.

Any police officer is authorized to remove any such unregistered motor vehicle from the public highway to a storage space or garage, and the expense involved in such removal and storing of the vehicle shall be borne by the owner of the vehicle, except that the expense shall be borne by the lessee of a leased vehicle.

In addition to and independent of any fine or other penalty provided for under law, the court shall impose a fine of $150 on any driver or operator of an omnibus, convicted of a violation of this section, who does not have a certificate of public convenience and necessity as required pursuant to R.S.48:4-3. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit the monies collected from the fines imposed pursuant to this paragraph to the "Omnibus Safety Enforcement Fund" established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2007, c.40 (C.39:3-79.23). The fine described herein shall not be deemed a fine, penalty, or forfeiture pursuant to R.S.39:5-41.

Amended 2007, c.40, s.1.