FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Trenton, N.J. (July 1, 2025) — Yesterday, S3309/A4380, the “Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act”, passed both the Senate and Assembly chambers with unanimous bipartisan support and now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
“NJ CAR would like to thank Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio for their tireless leadership on this important legislation. Their support made this success possible,” stated New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR) President Laura Perrotta.
The roadway safety and recall improvements were top considerations for the bipartisan leaders who sponsored the bill.
Senate President Scutari shares, “It is important that as a legislative body we stand up for our local, small business owners and their workforce, making sure they are fairly compensated for their time and work. This legislation was a product of months of negotiations and compromise, and I think we were able to come out of the discussions with a bill that will positively impact hard working New Jerseyans.”
“One thing that both New Jersey Democrats and Republicans can agree on is a need to make New Jersey’s roads safer. This bill does just that by requiring improved recall awareness by leveraging the expertise of our state’s Motor Vehicle Commission and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration,” said Assembly Speaker Coughlin.
“Similarly, I was pleased to stand by our state’s thousands of hardworking auto technicians in achieving fair compensation rates and ensuring a more balanced relationship between small business automobile franchisees and their corporate franchisors. After more than a year of work, I am confident that we are delivering a bill that Governor Murphy can sign.”
The Republicans were similarly enthusiastic regarding the bill’s focus on consumers who rely on franchised dealership technicians to correct manufacturers’ mistakes.
“New Jersey consumers and dealers shouldn’t be stuck paying the price for a manufacturer’s mistake,” said Senate Republican Leader Bucco. “This bill would ensure that the financial burden and responsibility of vehicle recalls falls on the automakers who are responsible for the defects. It’s a fair, commonsense solution that protects New Jersey automobile customers and supports our local dealerships.”
Assembly Republican Leader DiMaio stated, “Improving safety on the roads helps everyone, from the consumer who needs the cars fixed, to the local New Jersey technicians who get paid to fix cars’ defects.”
NJ CAR also thanks the United Service Workers Union (USWU) and the Machinists Union for their support which helped to advance this important legislation.
“USWU is incredibly proud that this important piece of legislation was passed by the legislature and sincerely thank the leadership for their sponsorship and effort in getting this done. We look forward to the governor signing,” said Connor Shaw, Political Director, USWU.
“For too long, auto manufacturers have exploited loopholes to drive down auto technicians’ wages, this will right that wrong and make sure technicians get the pay and respect they deserve for the crucial work they do.”
IAM Union District 15 Area Director Cristino Vilorio, who also serves as the IAM’s New Jersey State Council President said, “The passage of this legislation is a major victory for our members working at automobile dealerships.”
Vilorio continued, “Automotive technicians are the backbone of our vehicle maintenance system. Once Governor Murphy signs it into law, their expertise and hard work will be recognized and rewarded with fair compensation. I want to thank everyone involved for helping make this legislation a reality. This is a game-changer for New Jersey’s auto industry and a proud moment for our members who are automotive technicians.”
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