ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2121

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: SEPTEMBER 19, 1996

 

      The Assembly Environment, Science and Technology Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2121 with committee amendments.

      The bill, as amended, directs the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish Barnegat Bay Decoy and Baymen's Museum and other specially designated maritime history or marine life preservation projects license plates. The special plates would contain markings or identification expressing the vehicle owner's interest in supporting the Barnegat Bay Decoy and Baymen's Museum or other Department of Environmental Protection designated maritime history or marine life protection projects. The bill authorizes the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles to select the design of the license plate, after soliciting, in conjunction with the Legislature, input from the general public and reviewing the submissions before choosing the design. A $50 fee would be charged for the issuance of the plates, and an additional $10 fee would be collected for each annual renewal.

      Costs incurred by the DMV, in producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing Barnegat Bay Decoy and Baymen's Museum and other maritime history or marine life preservation project license plates, as annually certified by the director, would be defrayed from fees collected.

      The bill directs the DMV to include in all mailings of motor vehicle registration renewals a notice on the availability of the special license plates. Finally, the bill requires the Joint Budget Oversight Committee to approve the Division of Motor Vehicle's annual certification of the average cost to produce, issue and renew a license plate. If the average annual cost exceeds $50 for two consecutive fiscal years, the division may discontinue the issuance of these license plates.

      The committee amendments make technical corrections to the bill. As amended, the bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 211 (1R) of 1996 as it was reported from the Senate State Government Committee on May 9, 1996 and from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 3, 1996.