ASSEMBLY, No. 2489

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 7, 1996

By Assemblyman BARNES, Assemblywoman BUONO, Assemblymen Wisniewski, R. Smith, Azzolina, Green, Zecker, Assemblywoman Friscia and Assemblyman Impreveduto

An Act providing for the issuance of certain license plates for the purpose of supporting programs and services for the prevention of child abuse and neglect, amending P.L.1985, c.197 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. (New section) a. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may, upon proper application, issue New Jersey Devils license plates for a motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, a New Jersey Devils license plate shall display the words "New Jersey Devils" and depict the New Jersey Devils emblem and be of a design approved by the director. Issuance of New Jersey Devils license plates in accordance with this section shall be subject to the limitations of section 3 of P.L.1959, c.56 (C.39:3-33.5) and other applicable requirements of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter specifically provided.

    b. The director may, upon proper application, issue New Jersey Nets license plates for a motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, a New Jersey Nets license plate shall display the words "New Jersey Nets" and depict the New Jersey Nets emblem and be of a design approved by the director. Issuance of New Jersey Nets license plates in accordance with this section shall be subject to the limitations of section 3 of P.L.1959, c.56 (C.39:3-33.5) and other applicable requirements of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter specifically provided.

    c. Application for issuance of a New Jersey Devils or New Jersey Nets license plate shall be made to the director on forms and in a manner as may be prescribed by the director. In order to be deemed complete, an application shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, payable to the division, which shall be in addition to the fee otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of motor vehicles. The annual fee for the registration certificate of a motor vehicle that has been issued a New Jersey Devils or New Jersey Nets license plate shall include, in each year subsequent to the year of issuance, a New Jersey Devils or New Jersey Nets license plate fee in the amount of $10, which shall be in addition to the fee for the renewal of the registration certificate.

    d. Moneys from the application and renewal fees collected by the division for New Jersey Devils or New Jersey Nets license plates shall be deposited in the Children's Trust Fund established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1985, c.197 (C.54A:9-25.4), and used for the purposes of that act, except that an amount not to exceed $100,000 of the fees first collected from the issuance of these plates shall be allocated to the division to defray the administrative costs necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

    e. The director shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain New Jersey Devils or New Jersey Nets license plates by including a notice with all motor vehicle registration renewals, and by posting appropriate posters or signs in all division facilities and offices. The notices, posters, and signs shall be designed by the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Child Life Protection Commission, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1985, c.197 (C.9:6A-2), subject to the approval of the director. The Department of Human Services shall supply the division with the notices, posters, and signs to be circulated or posted by the division.

    2. (New section) The Commissioner of Human Services and the director shall enter into an interagency memorandum of agreement setting forth the procedures to be followed by the Department of Human Services and the division in carrying out their respective responsibilities under this act.

    3. Section 2 of P.L.1985, c.197 (C.54A:9-25.4) is amended to read as follows:

    2. a. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a special fund to be known as the "Children's Trust Fund."

    b. Each taxpayer shall have the opportunity to indicate on his New Jersey gross income tax return that a portion of his tax refund or an enclosed contribution be deposited in the special fund. The Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury shall provide each taxpayer with the opportunity to indicate his preference on the tax return in substantially the following manner:

    Children's Trust Fund: I wish to contribute $5 □, $10 □, other amount $.......□, to this fund.

    The State Treasurer shall deposit into the fund all moneys designated for the fund pursuant to this act and section 1 of P.L. , c.     (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill).

(cf: P.L.1991, c.287, s.1)

    4. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after enactment, but the director and the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory acts in advance of that date as may be necessary for the timely implementation of this act upon the effective date thereof.

STATEMENT

    This bill directs the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish a special New Jersey Devils and New Jersey Nets license plate program. These teams are the only professional teams in the State that are proud to declare they are from New Jersey. The special plates would contain the words "New Jersey Devils" or "New Jersey Nets" and the emblem for the respective team. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles will need to approve of the design of the license plates. A $50 fee would be charged for the issuance of the plates, and an additional $10 fee would be collected for each annual renewal.

    The moneys collected would be deposited into the "Children's Trust Fund" established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1985, c.197 (C.54A:9-25.4). This fund was established for the purposes of planning and establishing or improving programs and

services for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Of the fees first collected from the issuance of these plates, however, an amount not to exceed $100,000 may be kept by the division to defray the administrative costs necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.

    The bill directs DMV to include in all mailings of motor vehicle registration renewals a notice on the availability of these special license plates. In addition, the division will post appropriate posters or signs in all division facilities and offices to notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain these plates. The notices, posters and signs will be designed by the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Child Life Protection Commission, subject to the approval of the director.

Establishes a New Jersey Devils and a New Jersey Nets license plate; dedicates fees to Children's Trust Fund and plate costs.