ASSEMBLY COMMERCE AND MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 893

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: SEPTEMBER 16, 1996

      The Assembly Commerce and Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 893 with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill establishes a special New Jersey Network license plate, with proceeds dedicated to the support of the New Jersey Network for public television. The plate would bear words and an emblem, designated by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in consultation with the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, indicating support for the network. 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. A person who pays the additional fees shall become a member of the New Jersey Network. The additional fees would be deposited in the "New Jersey Network Support Fund," created by the bill, and used exclusively for license plate costs and New Jersey Network operating expenses.

      The committee adopted amendments to: 1) reduce the annual renewal fee from $40 to $10 in order to be consistent with similar fees for other special interest license plates; 2) include the cost of renewing and publicizing the special license plates and making related computer programming changes as reimbursable costs for the division; 3) require the annual certification of the average cost per license plate to be approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee; 4) permit the division to discontinue production and issuance of the special license plates if the average cost per license plate exceeds the amount received as application fees for two consecutive years; and 5) provide that the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall develop and enter into a memorandum of agreement with New Jersey Network concerning the procedures necessary to implement the legislation. The amendments adopted by the committee make this bill identical to S-284(1R).

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 1996 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which has been performed.