Bill Text: NJ S223 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee [S223 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S223-Introduced.html
SENATE, No. 223
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator DIANE B. ALLEN
District 7 (Burlington)
Senator DONALD NORCROSS
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Connors, Van Drew, Oroho and A.R.Bucco
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning special "Support Our Troops" license plates and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Upon proper application, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall issue Support Our Troops license plates for any motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. The chief administrator shall choose the design, including an emblem, slogan and color scheme in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
2. Application for issuance of a Support Our Troops license plate shall be made to the chief administrator on forms and in a manner prescribed by the chief administrator. In order to be deemed complete, an application shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, payable to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which shall be in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of motor vehicles. The chief administrator shall collect annually, subsequent to the year of issuance of the Support Our Troops license plate, a $10 fee for the license plate in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle.
3. a. There shall be deposited into a special non-lapsing account to be known as the "Support Our Troops Fund" the additional application and renewal fees collected pursuant to section 2 of this act and any interest earned thereon, less the amounts necessary to reimburse the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for administrative costs pursuant to this section. The monies in the fund shall be distributed to the Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom Yellow Ribbon Grant program administered by the New Jersey National Guard Support for Returning Combat Veterans program and used for the furtherance of grants for families of New Jersey Army or Air National Guard service members who have been mobilized for over 90 days and are experiencing financial hardship.
b. Prior to the deposit of license plate fees collected pursuant to section 2 of this act into the fund, such amounts thereof as are necessary shall be used to reimburse the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the chief administrator, for producing, issuing, renewing and publicizing the availability of Support Our Troops license plates, including the cost of any initial computer programming changes.
c. The chief administrator annually shall certify to the State Treasurer the average cost per license plate incurred in the immediately preceding year by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in producing, issuing, renewing and publicizing the availability of Support Our Troops license plates. The annual certification of the average cost per license plate shall be approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor.
d. In the event that the average cost per license plate as certified by the chief administrator and approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, is greater than the $50 application fee established in section 2 of this act in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the issuance of Support Our Troops license plates.
4. The chief administrator shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain Support Our Troops license plates by including a notice with all motor vehicle registration renewals and by posting appropriate posters or signs in all New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission facilities and offices. The notices, posters and signs shall be designed by the commission, after consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes a special license plate with proceeds to be distributed to the Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom Yellow Ribbon Grant program administered by the New Jersey National Guard Support for Returning Combat Veterans program and used for the furtherance of grants for families of New Jersey Army or Air National Guard service members who have been mobilized for over 90 days and are experiencing financial hardship.
The design of the license plate would be chosen by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
There is a $50 initial fee in addition to the registration fees required by law, with a $10 annual fee in addition to the renewal fees required by law. The monies raised, after reimbursement to the Motor Vehicle Commission would be deposited into the "Support Our Troops Fund," also established by this bill.
