ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 1359

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  FEBRUARY 3, 2020

 

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee report favorably Assembly Bill No. 1359.

      As reported, this bill authorizes the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special Woman Veteran license plates.        The license plate is to display the words, "Woman Veteran," along with the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law.  An application to obtain a Woman Veteran license plate is to include satisfactory proof that the applicant is a veteran as evidenced by the applicant’s DD-214 form or on a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

     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 Woman Veteran license plates.  After deducting the cost of producing and publicizing the plates, the additional fees collected will be deposited into the “Woman Veteran License Plate Fund” and the funds will be appropriated annually to the New Jersey Department of Military Veterans’ Affairs (department) for programs to benefit female veterans, including providing shelter to homeless female veterans as grants.

     The Chief Administrator of the 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 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the Woman Veteran license plate program.  The bill also requires that the Adjutant General of the department appoint a liaison to represent the department in all communications with the commission regarding the Woman Veteran license plates. 

     The bill provides that State or other public funds may not be used by the commission for the initial cost to implement the Woman Veteran 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.  The bill authorizes the department to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs. 

     The chief administrator is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the Woman Veteran license plates, until: (1) an 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 Woman Veteran license plate program; and (2) department, or its designee, has provided the commission with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the Woman Veteran license plates, upon the availability for purchase of those license plates.

     The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the appropriate applications and fees required to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission are provided by the department’s designee. The bill expires after 12 months if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received.

     This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.