SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1268

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 15, 2024

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1268.

      As reported, this bill authorizes the issuance of special “We Support the Arts” license plates, with proceeds dedicated to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (council).  The design of the license plate would be chosen by the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) after conducting a Statewide contest.  The license plate design is required to include the slogan “We Support the Arts.”

      There is a $50 initial fee for the license plate, in addition to the registration fees required by law, and a $10 annual fee, in addition to the renewal fees required by law.  The monies raised, after reimbursement to the commission, are to be deposited into the “Support the Arts Fund,” as established by this bill.

      Under the bill, the commission is prohibited from using State or public funds for the initial cost of designing, producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of support the arts license plates, or for any computer programming changes which may be necessary to implement the support the arts license plate program.  The council, or an individual or entity designated by the council, is required to contribute non-public monies in an amount to be determined by the chief administrator, not to exceed $25,000, to be used to offset these initial costs and computer programing changes. The council, or designated individual or entity, is also required to provide the commission with not less than 500 completed applications for support the arts license plates, along with the initial fee for each application, constituting the initial order for support the arts license plates.

      The bill would take effect immediately, but would remain inoperative until the first day of the seventh month following the date on which the specified non-public moneys and initial applications are delivered to the commission.  The bill would expire if these requirements are not met by the last day of the 12th month following the date of enactment.

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