ASSEMBLY MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 111

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 12, 2018

      The Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 111.

This bill authorizes special Combat Action Badge license plates.  The license plate is to display the words, "Combat Action Badge" and the Combat Action Badge emblem.  An application to obtain Combat Action Badge license plates is to include satisfactory proof that the applicant received the Combat Action Badge.  In addition to the required motor vehicle registration fees, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the Combat Action Badge license plates.  After deducting the cost of producing and publicizing the plates, the additional fees collected will be deposited into the “Combat Action Badge License Fund” and the funds will be appropriated annually to the New Jersey Department of Military Veterans Affairs (department) for programs to benefit combat veterans.

     The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50, the chief administrator may discontinue the license plate program.

     The bill provides that no State or other public funds may be used by the commission for the initial cost to implement the Combat Action Badge license plate program.  The bill authorizes the department to receive funds, in an amount not to exceed a total of $25,000, from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission for designing, producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of the license plates.

     The provisions of the bill are to remain inoperative until the commission receives the initial funds.  The bill will expire if the funds to initiate the license plate program are not received within 12 months of the effective date.

     The Combat Action Badge was approved for creation by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army on May 2, 2005.  The honor was created to provide special recognition to any member of the armed forces who personally engaged an enemy in close combat in an imminent danger area.  Recognition for close combat was previously only provided to members of infantry units through the Combat Infantry Badge.  The Combat Action Badge extended the opportunity for recognition for close combat to members of the United States Army outside of infantry units.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2018-2019 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.