New Jersey-2024-S946-Introduced

An Act authorizing the issuance of classic New Jersey license plates and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Upon proper application, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall issue classic New Jersey license plates for any motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, the license plates shall display a design that replicates the classic New Jersey license plates issued by the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles between 1979 and 1991. The classic New Jersey license plates shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter otherwise specifically provided.

b. Application for issuance of classic New Jersey license plates 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 commission, which shall be in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle. The chief administrator shall collect annually, subsequent to the year of issuance of the classic New Jersey license plates, a $10 fee for the license plates in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle. The additional fees required by this subsection shall be deposited, pursuant to subsection c. of this section, in the "Special Transportation Fund" created pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21).

c. There shall be deposited in the "Special Transportation Fund," established pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21), the amount collected from all license plate fees collected pursuant to subsection b. of this section, less the amounts necessary to reimburse the commission for administrative costs pursuant to subsection d. of this section. Monies deposited in the fund shall be annually appropriated for expenditure on transportation projects in this State.

d. Prior to the deposit into the fund of the additional fees collected pursuant to subsection b. of this section, amounts thereof as are necessary shall be used to reimburse the commission for all costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the chief administrator, for:

(1) designing, producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the classic New Jersey license plates; and

(2) any computer programming changes that may be initially necessary to implement the classic New Jersey license plate program established by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), in an amount not to exceed $150,000.

The chief administrator shall annually certify to the State Treasurer the average cost per license plate incurred in the immediately preceding year by the commission in producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the classic New Jersey license plates. The annual certification of the average cost per license plate shall be approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor.

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 subsection b. of this section in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the issuance of classic New Jersey license plates.

e. The chief administrator shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain classic New Jersey license plates by publicizing the availability of the license plates on the website of the commission.

f. The chief administrator and the Commissioner of Transportation shall develop and enter into a memorandum of agreement setting forth the procedures to be followed in carrying out their respective responsibilities under P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

g. The Commissioner of Transportation shall appoint a representative who shall act as a liaison between the Department of Transportation and the commission. The liaison shall represent the department in any and all communications with the commission regarding the classic New Jersey license plates established by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

2. a. State or public funds shall not be used by the commission for the initial cost of:

(1) designing, producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of classic New Jersey license plates; or

(2) any computer programming changes which may be necessary to implement the classic New Jersey license plate program established by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

b. An individual or entity designated by the Department of Transportation shall contribute non-public monies in an amount to be determined by the chief administrator, not to exceed a total of $25,000, to be used to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission for designing, producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of New Jersey classic license plates, and any computer programming which may be necessary to implement the program. Concerned organizations and individual donors may contribute monies to the department to be used to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission for the classic New Jersey license plates authorized by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Any amount remaining after the payment of the initial cost shall be deposited, pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), in the "Special Transportation Fund" established pursuant to section 21 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-21).

c. The commission shall not begin designing, producing, issuing, or publicizing the availability of classic New Jersey license plates, or making any necessary programming changes, until the following requirements have been met:

(1) The individual or entity designated by the department, has provided the commission with the non-public monies necessary, as determined by the chief administrator pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission in establishing the classic New Jersey license plate program; and

(2) The liaison appointed by the commissioner pursuant to subsection g. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) has provided the commission with not less than 500 completed applications for classic New Jersey license plates. These applications shall constitute the initial order for classic New Jersey license plates and shall be accompanied by a fee representing the total cost of the initial order. The fee shall be determined by multiplying the number of sets of license plates being ordered by the applicable initial fee for each set of license plates as set forth in subsection b. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. This act shall take effect immediately, but shall remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month following the date on which the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection c. of section 2 of this act have been satisfied. The chief administrator may take anticipatory actions in advance of that date as may be necessary for the timely implementation of this act. This act shall expire if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection c. of section 2 of this act are not satisfied by the last day of the 12th month following enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill authorizes the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue classic New Jersey license plates to replicate the license plates issued by the former New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles between 1979 and 1991.

In addition to all fees otherwise required by law for the registration of a motor vehicle, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the classic New Jersey license plates. After the deduction of the cost of designing, producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the license plates and of any computer programming changes that are necessary to implement the license plate program, additional fees are to be deposited into the " Special Transportation Fund." The proceeds of the fund are to be annually appropriated to support the State's transportation projects.

The chief administrator is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the license plate program. The bill requires the chief administrator and the Commissioner of Transportation (commissioner) to develop and enter into a memorandum of agreement setting forth the procedures to be followed in carrying out their respective responsibilities under the bill. The bill also requires that the commissioner appoint a liaison to represent the Department of Transportation (department) in all communications with the commission regarding the classic New Jersey license plates.

The bill provides that State or other public funds are not to be used by the commission for the initial cost to implement the license plate program. The bill requires an individual or entity designated by the department to contribute non-public monies, not to exceed $25,000, to offset the initial costs to design, produce, issue, and publicize the license plates and for computer programming changes which may be necessary to implement the program. The bill authorizes the department to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs.

The commission is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates or make any necessary programming changes, until: (1) the individual or entity designated by the department has provided the commission with the money necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission in establishing the license plate program; and (2) the liaison appointed by the commissioner has provided the commission with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the license plates.

The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month following the date on which the money to offset the initial costs to establish the license plate program and a minimum of 500 applications are provided to the commission. The bill expires on the last day of the 12th month after enactment if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received by that date.