LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

SENATE, No. 1968

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JULY 16, 1997

      Senate Bill No. 1968 of 1997 permits the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue special child protection license plates. The director would be authorized to charge an initial application fee of $50 and a $10 renewal fee which shall be in addition to all fees otherwise required by law. The application and renewal fees would first be used to reimburse the division for costs associated with the issuance of special plates, and the remaining amount would be deposited in the "Child Protection License Plate Fund" for assessment and treatment programs for parents with substance abuse problems who have had their children removed from the home due to a finding of abuse or neglect.

      DMV has previously estimated that, with special license plates, the division incurs about $31,000 in one-time costs for reprogramming agency and revenue automated systems, and for a plate die. Additional costs related to plate material, production and administrative costs are about $10 per plate set.

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) cannot estimate the level of public interest in purchasing the new, special license plates. Consequently, OLS cannot project revenues from application and renewal fees.

      However, OLS would note, as a reference range for potential special license plate revenues, that revenues from certain existing special plates are anticipated to provide $353,000 from animal welfare, $180,000 from wildlife conservation, and $629,000 from shore protection plates.

      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.