ASSEMBLY TOURISM, GAMING AND THE ARTS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2391

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 19, 2026

      The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2391.

This bill requires the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue 250th Anniversary Revolutionary War license plates.  The design of the license plate is to be chosen by the chief administrator, in consultation with the New Jersey Historical Commission (historical commission) in the Department of State.

     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 “250th Anniversary Revolutionary War License Plate Fund.”  The proceeds of the fund are to be appropriated annually to support and preserve Revolutionary War sites throughout New Jersey.

     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 Chair of the New Jersey Historical Commission appoint a liaison to represent the historical commission in all communications with the MVC regarding the license plates. 

     The bill provides that State or other public funds may not be used by the MVC for the initial cost to implement the license plate program.  The bill requires the historical commission, or an individual or entity designated by the historical commission, 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 historical commission 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) the historical commission, or an individual or entity designated by the historical commission, 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 historical commission 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 appropriate applications and fees required to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC are provided by the historical commission or its designee. 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.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.