ASSEMBLY, No. 733

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblyman GREGG and Assemblywoman FARRAGHER

An Act establishing equine license plates and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 39 and chapter 15 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. The director may issue for a motor vehicle registered in this State special equine license plates bearing, in addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, words and an emblem indicating support for, or an interest in, horses. The license plate shall be designed by the director, in consultation with the State Board of Agriculture and the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board.

    b. The director shall collect a $50 application fee for the equine license plate in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle. The director shall collect annually, subsequent to the year of issuance of the 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. The additional fees required by this subsection shall be deposited into the "Special Equine Programs Fund," established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c.  (C.           ) (now before the Legislature as this bill). Applicants shall be advised of the annual $10 renewal fee at the time of initial application.

    2. a. There is created in the Department of Agriculture a non-lapsing, revolving fund to be known as the "Special Equine Programs Fund." The fund shall be the depository of the fees collected pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C.      ) (now before the Legislature as this bill). Interest earned on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

    b. Moneys in the Special Equine Programs Fund shall be distributed exclusively: (1) to reimburse the Division of Motor Vehicles for costs incurred in producing and issuing equine license plates; and (2) for grants to assist the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board in its various programs designed to promote the growth of the State’s racing and non-racing horse industry.

    c. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall annually certify to the State Treasurer the average cost per license plate incurred in the preceding year by the division in producing and issuing equine license plates. The State Treasurer shall on a quarterly basis transfer a sum equal to the division's cost of producing and issuing equine license plates from the Special Equine Programs to the division.

    3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment.

STATEMENT

    The horse is New Jersey's State animal. This bill establishes a special equine license plate, with proceeds dedicated to the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board and its various programs designed to promote the growth of the State’s horse industry. The plate would bear words and an emblem designed by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in consultation with the State Board of Agriculture and the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board. Motor vehicle owners and lessees would be able to obtain the plate for an initial fee of $50 and an annual $10 renewal fee, in addition to the registration fees otherwise prescribed by law.

    The additional fees would be deposited in the Equine Advisory Board Fund, created by the bill, and used exclusively for license plate costs and expenses associated with the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board and its various programs to promote the horse industry in the State.

Establishes special equine license plate to aid the Equine Advisory Board.