ASSEMBLY, No. 2643

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 9, 1997

By Assemblymen ASSELTA and GIBSON

An Act concerning special license plates 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.    The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall, upon proper application therefor, issue Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plates for any 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 Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plate shall display words or a slogan and an emblem indicating support for, or interest in, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The license plate shall be designed by the director, in consultation with the Director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. Issuance of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plates in accordance with this section shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter otherwise specifically provided.

    2. a. An application for issuance of a Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plate shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, in addition to the fees otherwise required by law for the registration of the motor vehicle. An application for the renewal of the plates shall be accompanied by an additional fee of $10. The additional application and renewal fees shall be deposited in the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund created pursuant to section 3 of this act.

    3. a. There is created in the Department of Treasury a non-lapsing, interest-bearing fund to be known as the “Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund.” There shall be deposited in the fund the amount collected from the additional license plate fees collected pursuant to section 2 of this act, after reimbursement of the division for its actual costs in administering this act.

    b. Monies deposited in the fund shall be utilized to defray the center’s operating costs pertaining to the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation of marine mammals and marine reptiles, and related research and public education activities. Monies deposited in the fund shall be held in interest-bearing accounts in public depositories as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1970, c. 236 (C.17:9-41), and may be invested or reinvested in such securities as are approved by the State Treasurer. Interest or other income earned on monies deposited into the fund, and any monies which may be appropriated or otherwise become available for the purposes of the fund, shall be credited to and deposited in the fund for use as set forth in this act.

     c. Moneys in the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund shall be withdrawn by the State Treasurer and disbursed to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey, upon request of the center pursuant to a voucher system to be established by the State Treasurer. The center shall indicate on each voucher request the purpose to which the monies disbursed shall be applied.

    d. The State Treasurer shall provide an annual report to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center on the status of the funds, and the center shall provide an annual report to the State Treasurer documenting expenditures by the center of monies from the fund.

    4. a. Prior to the deposit of license plate fees collected pursuant to section 3 of this act into the fund, amount thereof as are necessary shall be used to reimburse the division for all costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the director, for:

    (1) producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plates; and

    (2) any initial computer programming fees that may be necessary to implement the Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plate program established by this act.

    b. The director shall annually certify the average cost per license plate incurred in the immediately preceding year by the division in producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plates.

    c. In the event that the average cost per license plate, as certified by the director and approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, is greater than the $50 application fee established in subsection a. of section 2 of this act in two consecutive fiscal years, the director may discontinue the issuance of Marine Mammal Stranding Center license plates.

    5. The director shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain a Marine Mammal Stranding Center 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 director after consultation with the Director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.

    6. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after enactment, but the State Treasurer, and the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center 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 establishes a special marine mammal stranding center license plate, with proceeds dedicated to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The plate would bear words and an emblem designed by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in consultation with the Director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. 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.

    Monies deposited in the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund shall be used exclusively for license plate costs and operational support for the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey. The bill stipulates that these funds may be used by the center to support its work pertaining to the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation of marine mammals and marine reptiles.

    The bill also directs the DMV to include in all mailings of motor vehicle registration renewals notice of the availability of Marine Mammal license plates.

    The bill requires the State Treasurer to report annually to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center on the status of the funds. The bill also requires the center to provide an annual report to the State Treasurer documenting expenditures by the center of monies from the fund.

    The bill requires the Joint Budget Oversight Committee to approve the DMV’s annual certification of the average cost to produce, issue, renew, and publicize the availability of a license plate. If the average annual cost exceeds $50 for two consecutive fiscal years, the DMV would be authorized to discontinue the issuance of these license plates.

    The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is a private, non-profit organization licensed by the State and federal governments to rescue, rehabilitate, and release stranded or otherwise distressed federally protected whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles from the State’s beaches and tidal waterways. The center then transports the rescued marine mammals and reptiles to its center in Brigantine for treatment and care, which can last from a few weeks to several months. The proceeds of this bill would help defray the center’s increasing operational costs to accommodate housing and rehabilitating an increasing number of stranded marine mammals and marine reptiles.

Establishes special license plate to aid Marine Mammal Stranding Center.