SENATE, No. 1585

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

208th LEGISLATURE

DATED: APRIL 23, 1999

Senate Bill No. 1585 of 1998 establishes a New Jersey State Commission on Spinal Cord Research in, but not of, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). The commission's responsibility would be to design and administer a grant program to fund approved medical and scientific research projects that focus on the treatment of spinal cord injuries and diseases that damage the spinal cord. The monies for these grants would be generated by a $1 surcharge on all motor vehicle fines. These monies would be deposited in a special nonlapsing fund in the Department of the Treasury to be known as the "New Jersey Spinal Cord Research Fund."

DHSS and the Office of Management and Budget have not provided any fiscal information on the legislation.

Evaluation Data in the FY 1999 recommended budget indicates that Municipal Courts will handle nearly 5.7 million moving and parking violations in FY 1999. Assuming that 50% of the 5.7 million violations result in convictions and that the fine is actually collected, a $1 surcharge would generate about $2.9 million.

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.