ASSEMBLY, No. 572

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman TURNER

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. a. Upon proper application therefor, the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may issue Children's Trust Fund license plates for a motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in this State. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification prescribed by law, a Children's Trust Fund license plate shall display the words "Kids First" and a design resembling a child's hands, indicating support for, or an interest in, the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

    b. The director shall collect a $50 application fee for the special plates issued under this section and a $10 annual renewal fee, in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle.

    c. After reimbursement to the director for costs reasonably and actually incurred in producing and issuing the license plates, the additional application and renewal fees collected pursuant to this act shall be deposited into the Children's Trust Fund, established pursuant to P.L.1985, c.197 (C.54A:9-25.4).

    2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month following enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill would authorize a special license plate to support the Children's Trust Fund, established by P.L.1985, c.197, to fund child abuse and neglect prevention programs. The fee for the license plate would be $50 in addition to the registration fees required by law, with a $10 renewal fee in addition to the renewal fees required by law. These fees would be deposited in the Children's Trust Fund, after reimbursement to the Division of Motor Vehicles for costs in producing and issuing the plates. The plates would display the words "Kids First" and depict a picture resembling a child's hands.

    The Child Life Protection Commission annually appropriates from the Children's Trust Fund to public and private agencies grants for the purposes of planning and establishing or improving programs and services for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Activities funded include statewide educational public awareness seminars; encouraging professionals to recognize and deal with problems of child abuse and neglect; providing information to public and private agencies which deal with problems of child abuse and neglect; and, encouraging the development of community prevention programs.

Authorizes license plates to support Children's Trust Fund.