LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1770

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JULY 9, 1997

      Senate Bill No. 1770 (1R) of 1997 exempts persons who are 65 years of age or older and eligible for medical assistance under the State Medicaid program from paying certain additional motor vehicle registration fees imposed pursuant to section 17 of P.L.1995, c.108 (C.17:33B-63).

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) notes that there are approximately 80,000 State residents who would qualify under this exemption provision. However, since an estimated 45,000 qualifying residents are in nursing homes or institutions, it is likely that only the remaining 35,000 non-institutionalized residents would be able to take advantage of the exemption. Although OLS cannot estimate what percentage of those 35,000 residents have vehicles and, therefore, could take advantage of the reduced fee savings, OLS would note that the additional registration fees at issue depend on the model years of cars. For cars with model years prior to 1989, the additional registration fees would be $12.50 in 1998, $10 in 1999, and $7.50 in 2000 and thereafter. For cars with model years of 1989 and later, the additional registration fees would be $33.50 in 1998, $27 in 1999, and $20 in 2000 and thereafter. Consequently, the revenue loss to the State would be a function of the number of eligible residents with a vehicle, an unknown number, times the appropriate additional fee for the respective future registration year.

      This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.