S2808

An Act concerning special 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 a September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial license plate for any motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. In addition to the registration number and other markings prescribed by law, the chief administrator shall choose the design, including an emblem, slogan and color scheme in remembrance of the victims of the September 11th attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center attack.

2. Application for issuance of a September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial 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 fee otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of motor vehicles. The chief administrator shall collect annually, subsequent to the year of issuance of the September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial 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 “September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial License Plate 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 Motor Vehicle Commission for administrative costs pursuant to this section. The monies in the fund shall be distributed to persons who where injured in the September 11th attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center attack.

b. Prior to the deposit of license plate fees collected pursuant to section 2 of this act into the fund, amounts thereof as are necessary shall be used to reimburse the Motor Vehicle Commission for costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the chief administrator, for producing, issuing, renewing and publicizing the availability of the September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial license plates, including the cost of any initial computer programming.

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 Motor Vehicle Commission in producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial 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 the September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial license plates.

4. The chief administrator shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial license plates by including a notice with all motor vehicle registration renewals and by posting appropriate posters or signs in all Motor Vehicle Commission facilities and offices. The notices, posters and signs shall be designed by the commission.

5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment, but the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission may take such anticipatory acts in advance of that date as may be necessary for the timely implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill authorizes a September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial license plate in remembrance of the victims of the September 11th attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center attack. The proceeds from this license plate would go to victims who were injured in these attacks. The design of the license plate would be chosen by the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission.

Under the bill, 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 September 11th and World Trade Center Memorial Fund, also established by this bill.