Trenton – The Senate Transportation Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Vitale to require the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to prompt individuals to voluntarily submit information to the “Next-of-Kin Registry” and allow individuals to submit information for the Registry in-person at commission agencies.
“Thinking of unfortunate circumstances such as the case of Sara Dubinin where she tragically lapsed into a coma following a car accident before her parents could be notified, this bill aims to improve the Next-of-Kin Registry by making it more complete with resident information and more user-friendly for law enforcement officers,” said Senator Vitale (D- Middlesex). “This bill would ease the process of updating the Next-of-Kin Registry by allowing residents to register for or update the registry in-person and would prompt individuals to input their information to the Registry when at the MVC for other reasons.”
The bill, S-2666, would direct the commission to automatically prompt any individual who is applying for a validated permit, probationary driver’s license, or new or renewal driver’s license or non-driver identification card to enter information for the “Next-of-Kin Registry.” Further, under the bill, law enforcement officials will be granted direct access to the provided information without an intermediary.
The “Next-of-Kin Registry” is a statewide web-based system that allows individuals at least 14 years of age to voluntarily submit and maintain emergency contact information through the NJMVC. Under current law, to register or update the Next-of-Kin Registry, residents are required to submit the information online or by mail. This bill would expand these methods by allowing residents to register or update the registry in-person and would require NJMVC to automatically prompt individuals to voluntarily submit information to the Registry when applying for or renewing certain forms of identification.
The bill was released from committee by a vote of 5-0.