ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 2156

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 10, 2025

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 2156.

      As reported, this bill requires the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue honorably discharged veteran license plates upon proper application of any person who is classified as a veteran and has been honorably discharged.  The design of the license plate is to be chosen by the chief administrator, in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs (department). In addition to the required motor vehicle registration fees, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the license plates.  After deducting the costs to implement the plates, the additional fees collected are to be deposited into the “Honorably Discharged Veteran License Plate Fund”. The proceeds of the fund are to be appropriated annually to support veterans in the State. The chief administrator is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the license plate program. The bill also requires that the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs appoint a liaison to represent the department in all communications with the MVC regarding the license plates.  The bill provides that State or public funds may not be used by the MVC for the initial cost to implement the license plate program.  The bill requires an individual or entity designated by the department to contribute non-public monies, not to exceed $25,000, to offset the initial costs to design, produce, issue, and publicize the license plates and for any computer programming necessary to implement the program. The bill authorizes the department to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs.  

      The MVC is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates, or make any necessary programming changes, until: (1) an individual or entity designated by the department has provided the MVC with the money necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC in establishing the license plate program; and (2) the department has provided the MVC with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the license plates, upon the availability for purchase of those license plates.  The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month following the date when the MVC has received the sufficient number of applications and amount in fees to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC.  The bill expires on the last day of the 12th month following the bill’s enactment if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received by that date.

The bill also allows the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran to retain the special license plates.