56:16-5 Duties of director.

7. The Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall:

a. establish a telephone number where customers may submit complaints regarding service provided by autobus owners and operators; and

b. initiate, investigate, attempt to resolve, and, if necessary, refer to the Attorney General any matter or complaint received concerning a violation of the Bill of Rights for Customers of Certain Autobuses established pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2013, c.224 (C.56:16-4). The division may conduct an investigation and may request in writing the production of documents and records as part of its investigation. Trade secrets and proprietary business information contained in the documents or records received by the division pursuant to a written request or a subpoena shall be confidential and shall not be deemed a "government record" under section 1 of P.L.1995, c.23 (C.47:1A-1.1 et seq.).

If the person of whom such request was made fails to produce the documents or records within 30 days after the date of the request, the division may issue and serve subpoenas to compel the production of those documents and records. If any person refuses to comply with a subpoena issued under this section, the division may petition the Superior Court to enforce the subpoena by means of such sanctions as the court may direct. After completion of the investigation, the division shall either:

(1) dismiss the complaint following a determination that no violation occurred; or

(2) determine that a violation has likely occurred and, if so, shall attempt to resolve the matter by settlement, which may include a monetary settlement to cover the costs incurred by the division. If no settlement is achieved, then the division may take further action, including, if necessary, referring the matter to the Attorney General for further proceedings.

Any records, documents, papers, maps, books, tapes, photographs, files, sound recordings, or other business material, regardless of form or characteristics, obtained by the division pursuant to subpoena shall be confidential. At the conclusion of an investigation, any matter determined by the division, or by a federal or State judicial or administrative body, to be a trade secret or proprietary confidential business information held by the division pursuant to the investigation shall be considered confidential. The materials may be used in any administrative or judicial proceeding as long as the confidential or proprietary nature of the material is maintained.

L.2013, c.224, s.7.