ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2489

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 9, 1997

      The Assembly Community Services Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2489.

      As amended by committee, 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.

       The committee amendments add language to provide that revenues collected from the New Jersey Devils and New Jersey Nets license plate fees shall be used to reimburse the division for all costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the director, for producing, issuing, renewing and publicizing the availability of the plates and for any initial computer programming changes necessary to implement the license plate program.

      The amendments additionally specify that in the event that the average cost per license plate as certified by the director and approved by the State Treasurer is greater than the $50 application fee established in the bill in two consecutive fiscal years, the director may discontinue the issuance of the New Jersey Devils and New Jersey Nets license plates.

      Finally, the amendments make various technical changes to section 1 of the bill.