Bill > S1933

Introduced Session

This bill authorizes the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special New Jersey Maritime Museum license plates. The bill provides that the design of the New Jersey Maritime Museum license plate is to display words or a slogan and an emblem indicating support for, or an interest in, the New Jersey Maritime Museum. The chief administrator, in consultation with the New Jersey Maritime Museum, is to select the design and color scheme of the New Jersey Maritime Museum 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 New Jersey Maritime Museum license plates. After the deduction of the cost of designing, producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the plates and of any computer programming changes that are necessary to implement the license plate program, additional fees will be deposited into a special non-lapsing fund known as the "New Jersey Maritime Museum License Plate Fund." The proceeds of the fund are to be annually appropriated to the New Jersey Maritime Museum to be used to support and maintain the museum. 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 New Jersey Maritime Museum license plate program. The bill also requires that the New Jersey Maritime Museum appoint a liaison to represent the museum in all communications with the commission regarding the 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 New Jersey Maritime Museum license plate program. The bill requires the New Jersey Maritime Museum or an individual or entity designated by the museum 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 the New Jersey Maritime Museum to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs. The chief administrator is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates, until: (1) the New Jersey Maritime Museum or the individual or entity designated by the New Jersey Maritime Museum 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 New Jersey Maritime Museum 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 following enactment to allow the New Jersey Maritime Museum time to provide the commission with the completed applications and fees required pursuant to the bill. The bill expires on the last day of the 12th month following enactment if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received by that date. In fulfillment of a lifelong ambition of opening a museum free to the public promoting New Jersey's vast maritime history, Deborah Whitcraft founded the New Jersey Maritime Museum on July 3, 2007. When it initially opened, the museum exhibited a sizable collection of shipwreck files, documents, and artifacts. In the years since it has opened, the New Jersey Maritime Museum has grown thanks to donations and loans from the diving community and public. Located in Beach Haven, New Jersey, the New Jersey Maritime Museum operates as a registered non-profit entity and is open to the public, free of charge.

Committee Categories

Carmen Amato (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document