SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 331

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 5, 2024

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 331.

      As amended and reported, this bill authorizes the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special Student Movement Against Cancer Inc. (SMAC) license plates.

     The bill provides that the design of the SMAC license plate is to display the words “Peace Out, Cancer” and an emblem signifying support for the SMAC.  The chief administrator, in consultation with the SMAC, is to select the design and color scheme of the SMAC license plates.

     In addition to all fees otherwise required by law for the registration of a motor vehicle, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the SMAC license plates.  After deducting the cost to implement the license plate program, the additional fees collected are to be deposited into the “Student Movement Against Cancer License Plate Fund.”  The proceeds of the fund are to be annually appropriated to the SMAC to be used to support the organization’s mission and programs.

     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 SMAC appoint a liaison to represent the SMAC in all communications with the commission regarding the SMAC license plates. 

     The bill provides that State or other public funds are not to be used by the commission for the initial cost to implement the SMAC license plate program.  The bill requires the SMAC or an individual or entity designated by the SMAC 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 computer programming changes which may be necessary to implement the program.  The bill authorizes SMAC to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs. 

     The commission is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates, until: (1) the SMAC or the individual or entity designated by the SMAC has provided the commission with the money necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission in establishing the license plate program; and (2) the SMAC liaison has provided the commission with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the license plates.

     The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month after the appropriate applications and fees required to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission are provided by the SMAC.  The bill expires on the last day of the 15th month after enactment if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received by that date.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by the technical review which has been performed. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1) correct references to the Student Movement Against Cancer Inc. to replace the term “foundation” with “Inc.”;

      (2) add a provision that provides that the fees collected in excess of costs to establish the special plate program are to be deposited into the “Student Movement Against Cancer License Plate Fund;” and

      (3) make a grammatical correction.