PRINTER'S NO. 3111
No. 2244 Session of 1984
INTRODUCED BY RAPPAPORT, R. C. WRIGHT, REBER, RIEGER, LASHINGER, WOGAN, CORDISCO AND HAGARTY, JUNE 5, 1984
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 5, 1984
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of April 12, 1957 (P.L.61, No.34), entitled "An 2 act authorizing and empowering the Delaware River Port 3 Authority, a body corporate and politic, functioning under 4 the legislation enacted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 and the State of New Jersey, and the express consent of the 6 Congress of the United States, to appoint policemen; make 7 rules and regulations for the prevention of disorder, the 8 preservation of safety, and the conservation of traffic on 9 such bridges and in such tunnels and approaches thereto as 10 the commission does or may hereafter operate; to prevent the 11 evasion of the payment of tolls; and providing a penalty for 12 the violation of any such rules or regulations or for the 13 evasion or the attempt to evade the payment of tolls," 14 authorizing the issuance of citations to persons charged with 15 evading or attempting to evade the payment of tolls. 16 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 17 hereby enacts as follows: 18 Section 1. Section 1 of the act of April 12, 1957 (P.L.61, 19 No.34), entitled "An act authorizing and empowering the Delaware 20 River Port Authority, a body corporate and politic, functioning 21 under the legislation enacted by the Commonwealth of 22 Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey, and the express 23 consent of the Congress of the United States, to appoint 24 policemen; make rules and regulations for the prevention of
1 disorder, the preservation of safety, and the conservation of 2 traffic on such bridges and in such tunnels and approaches 3 thereto as the commission does or may hereafter operate; to 4 prevent the evasion of the payment of tolls; and providing a 5 penalty for the violation of any such rules or regulations or 6 for the evasion or the attempt to evade the payment of tolls," 7 amended November 25, 1970 (P.L.735, No.238), is amended to read: 8 Section 1. The Delaware River Port Authority, a body 9 corporate and politic, functioning under the legislation enacted 10 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey, 11 and the express consent of the Congress of the United States, 12 and its wholly-owned subsidiary corporations through which it is 13 effectuating its authorized purposes, shall have the power and 14 authority to appoint the number of policemen as is found 15 necessary to keep in safety and preserve order upon the bridges 16 and tunnels and approaches thereto, and upon the rapid transit 17 systems, ferries, facilities and other property as the Delaware 18 River Port Authority or such subsidiary corporations does or may 19 hereafter own, lease or operate; to administer to such policemen 20 an oath or affirmation faithfully to perform the duties of their 21 respective positions or offices; and to provide for the payment 22 of such policemen from the tolls, fares, charges and other 23 revenue of the Delaware River Port Authority or such subsidiary 24 corporations. The policemen so appointed shall have the power 25 and authority to make arrests for any crimes, misdemeanors, and 26 offenses committed under the laws of the State of New Jersey or 27 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania upon the bridges or within the 28 tunnels or approaches thereto, on the rapid transit systems, 29 ferries, facilities or other property, for disorder or breach of 30 the peace, or for violations of any lawful regulation which may 19840H2244B3111 - 2 -
1 be adopted by the Delaware River Port Authority, or such 2 subsidiary corporations. The policemen shall be authorized and 3 empowered to make arrests or issue citations for evasion or 4 attempts to evade the payment of tolls, fares or other charges 5 which may be fixed or may have been fixed for the use of such 6 bridge, tunnel, rapid transit system, or ferry, facility or 7 other property. 8 To pass over any part of the bridges or through the tunnels 9 and approaches thereto in any vehicle for which tolls are 10 collectible, or for any person or vehicle to use the rapid 11 transit systems or ferries or other facilities or property 12 without passing through the toll gates or paying the necessary 13 tolls, fares or charges constitutes an evasion and shall subject 14 the person so evading or attempting to evade the payment of 15 tolls, fares or charges to arrest or receipt of a citation. Upon 16 the apprehension or arrest of any person or persons for any of 17 the foregoing reasons, the offender may be taken before any 18 proper judicial officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or 19 of the State of New Jersey without respect to the portion of the 20 bridge, tunnel, ferry facility, rapid transit system, facilities 21 or other property upon or within which such offense may have 22 been committed or attempted or such offender arrested, and 23 thereupon such judicial officer shall have power and authority 24 to punish the offender as hereinafter provided. The Delaware 25 River Port Authority, and its wholly-owned subsidiary 26 corporations through which it is effectuating its authorized 27 purposes shall have the power to adopt such rules and 28 regulations as they may respectively deem expedient for the 29 proper government of the bridges, tunnels, approaches thereto, 30 rapid transit systems, ferries, facilities or other property and 19840H2244B3111 - 3 -
1 for the preservation of good order, safe traffic, and proper 2 conduct thereon or therein. 3 Any person violating any of the provisions of this act, or of 4 any rule or regulation adopted by the Delaware River Port 5 Authority, or its said subsidiary corporations, or who evades or 6 attempts to evade payment of tolls, fares or charges shall, upon 7 summary conviction before a proper judicial officer of this 8 Commonwealth, or of a proper judicial officer of the State of 9 New Jersey, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than ten 10 dollars ($10), nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25), and 11 costs of prosecution, and in default of the payment thereof, 12 shall undergo imprisonment for not less than ten days nor more 13 than thirty days, and upon conviction of any subsequent offense, 14 shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than twenty-five 15 dollars ($25), nor more than fifty dollars ($50), and costs of 16 prosecution, or to undergo imprisonment for not less than thirty 17 days nor more than sixty days. 18 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately. C22L64RZ/19840H2244B3111 - 4 -