ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2136

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 5, 1996

      The Assembly Environment, Science and Technology Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 2163 with committee amendments.

      The bill, as amended, directs the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation to solicit, collect and receive private donations for the establishment of an alternative fuel vehicle license plate program and directs the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Transportation to issue the license plates if sufficient private donations have been received to cover the costs of producing and issuing the license plates. The bill, as amended, also prohibits the Division of Motor Vehicles from charging any fees for an alternative fuel vehicle license plate in addition to the fees charged by law for the registration of, or the renewal of the registration of, a motor vehicle.

      The bill, as amended, directs that the private donations and license plate fees be deposited in the "Alternative Fuel Vehicle License Plate Fund," established under the bill, and that this fund, to be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, be used for projects and programs promoting the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.

      The committee amendments clarified that the initial registration fees and the registration renewal fees for alternative fuel vehicles shall be deposited into the Alternative Fuel Vehicle License Plate Fund. The committee amendments also made technical corrections to the bill.