(a) For the purpose of earning sufficient revenue to make possible, in conjunction with other funds available to the authority, the financing of the construction or acquisition of projects of the authority with revenue bonds, the authority is authorized and empowered to collect tolls on each and every project which it shall cause to be constructed or acquired. It is found, determined, and declared that the necessities of revenue bond financing are such that the authority's toll earnings on each project or projects, in conjunction with other funds available to the authority, must exceed the actual maintenance, repair, and normal reserve requirements of such projects, together with monthly or yearly sums needed for the sinking fund payments upon the principal and interest obligations of financing such project or projects; however, within the framework of these legitimate necessities of the authority and subject to all bond resolutions, trust indentures, and all other contractual obligations of the authority, the authority is charged with the duty of the operation of all projects in the aggregate at the most reasonable possible level of toll charges; and, furthermore, the authority is charged with the responsibility of a reasonable and equitable adjustment of such toll charges as between the various classes of users of any given project.

(b) In the exercise of the authority's toll powers, the authority is authorized to exercise so much of the police powers of the state as shall be necessary to maintain the peace and accomplish the orderly handling of the traffic and the collection of tolls on all projects operated by the authority; and the authority shall prescribe such rules and regulations for the method of taking tolls and the employment and conduct of toll takers and other operating employees as the authority, in its discretion, may deem necessary.

(c) No motor vehicle shall be driven or towed through a toll collection facility, where appropriate signs have been erected to notify traffic that it is subject to the payment of tolls beyond such sign, without payment of the proper toll. In the event of nonpayment of the proper toll, as evidenced by video or electronic recording, the registered owner of such vehicle shall be liable to make prompt payment to the authority of the proper toll and an administrative fee of $25.00 to recover the cost of collecting the toll. Upon failure to pay the proper toll and administrative fee to the authority after notice thereof and within the time designated in such notice, the registered owner shall be cited for a violation of this subsection and, upon conviction, shall be subject to the payment of a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00 for each and every violation of this subsection and any other fine or penalty that may be prescribed by law for such violations. In the prosecution of an offense, proof that the vehicle was operated in violation of this subsection, together with proof that the defendant was at the time of such violation the registered owner of the vehicle, shall constitute in evidence a rebuttable presumption that such registered owner of the vehicle was the person who committed the violation. Such presumption shall be rebutted if the registered owner of the vehicle testifies in open court under oath that he was not the operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation. The court of the local jurisdiction in which the violation occurred shall be authorized to assess and collect such fine, in addition to any court costs, provided that the court shall also collect the proper toll and administrative fee and forward such toll and fee to the authority.

(d) Any person who shall use or attempt to use any currency or coins other than legal tender of the United States of America or tokens issued by the authority or who shall use or attempt to use any electronic device or equipment not authorized by the authority in lieu of or to avoid payment of a toll shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(e) Any person, except an authorized agent or employee of the authority, who removes any coin from the pavement or ground surface within 15 feet of a toll collection booth or toll collection machine, except to retrieve coins the person dropped while attempting payment of that person's toll, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(f) Any person who enters without authorization or who willfully, maliciously, and forcibly breaks into any mechanical or electronic toll collection device of the authority or appurtenance thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(g) Any law enforcement officer shall have the authority to issue citations for toll evasions if such officer is a witness to any of the following violations:

(1) A person forcibly or fraudulently passes a toll collection device without payment or refuses to pay, evades, or attempts to evade the payment of such tolls;

(2) A person turns, or attempts to turn, a vehicle around on a bridge, approach, or toll plaza where signs have been erected forbidding such turning; or

(3) A person refuses to pass through the toll collection facility after having come within the area where signs have been erected notifying traffic that it is entering the area where a toll is collectable or where vehicles may not turn around and where vehicles are required to pass through the toll gates for the purposes of collecting tolls.

(h) The authority may in its discretion use such technology, including but not limited to automatic vehicle license tag identification photography and video surveillance, either by electronic imaging or photographic copy, that it deems necessary to aid in the collection of tolls and enforcement of toll violations.

(i) State and local law enforcement entities are authorized to enter into traffic and toll enforcement agreements with the authority. Any funds received by a state law enforcement entity pursuant to such toll enforcement agreement shall be subject to annual appropriations by the General Assembly to such law enforcement entity for the purpose of performing its duties pursuant to such agreement.