Bill > S4133

Introduced Session

This bill restructures the current system for issuance of special license plates, which may be issued to New Jersey drivers in place of standard license plates. Under existing law, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) is authorized to issue three main types of special registration plates: 1) statutorily-established special license plates, which honor or recognize a person's affiliation with a certain group or organization; 2) statutorily-established dedicated cause special license plates, which support statutorily-established funds or social causes; and 3) special organizational vehicle registration plates, which are approved by the MVC for certain nonprofit alumni, community, or service organizations upon application to the MVC. The bill collectively refers to special license plates as "special registration plates," and divides the plates into two categories: "organization plates"; and "dedicated cause plates." The bill maintains elements of the current system by permitting a sponsoring organization to apply for and seek approval from the MVC for the issuance of an organization plate, but now also permits a sponsoring organization to apply directly to the MVC for the issuance of a dedicated cause plate and permits the MVC to phase out statutorily-established and MVC-established special registration plates that no longer meet certain criteria. Organization Plates The bill defines "organization plate" to mean a license plate bearing the name, initials, logotype, graphic, or identifying phrase of a sponsoring organization, which comprises members of a community, alumni, or service organization with common or shared professions, interests, educational backgrounds, or military service and has a method of determining membership or good standing in the organization. A sponsoring organization that seeks the approval for the issuance of an organization plate is required to provide proof that the sponsoring organization has met the following conditions: (1) the sponsoring organization has appointed a representative who will act as a liaison between the sponsoring organization and the MVC; (2) the application includes a copy of the charter of the sponsoring organization that indicates the organization's lawful purpose and a copy of the approval letter issued to the sponsoring organization by the IRS to provide proof of its nonprofit status; (3) the application includes a Certification of Membership; and (4) the application includes the name or initials the organization wishes to be placed at the bottom of the plate and a logotype, graphic, or identifying phrase of the sponsoring organization. Any person who is a member in good standing of a sponsoring organization that has been approved for an organization plate may apply to receive a set of organization plates after the payment of a $50 fee. Dedicated Cause Plates The bill defines "dedicated cause plate" to mean a license plate bearing the name, initials, logotype, graphic, or identifying phrase of a social cause that generally impacts New Jersey residents, including but not limited to, the promotion of public health, education, the arts, sports and athletics, the environment, the improvement of societal injustices, or issues that concern the general welfare of all New Jersey residents. A sponsoring organization that seeks approval for the issuance of a dedicated cause plate is to provide proof that the sponsoring organization has met the following conditions: (1) the sponsoring organization has appointed a representative who will act as a liaison between the sponsoring organization and the MVC; (2) the application includes: a copy of the charter of the sponsoring organization that indicates the organization's lawful purpose and a copy of the approval letter issued to the sponsoring organization by the IRS to provide proof of its nonprofit status; or, if the sponsoring organization is a government entity, the legal citation for the statute pursuant to which the government entity was established; (3) the application includes an Explanation of Social Impact. Dedicated cause plates are to only be approved for a sponsoring organization that has as its primary purpose service to the general public or the promotion of a social cause that generally impacts New Jersey residents; and (4) the application includes the name or initials the organization wishes to be placed at the bottom of the plate and a logotype, graphic, or identifying phrase that identifies the social cause that the dedicated cause plate will promote. Any person may apply to receive a set of dedicated cause plates after the payment of a $50 fee and a $10 annual renewal fee. The fees are to be deposited into a special non-lapsing fund created to support the approved social cause for which the dedicated cause plates were created. Discontinuance of Special Registration Plates Under existing law, the chief administrator has the authority to suspend previous approval of a special organization vehicle registration plate only if the organization no longer qualifies for a special plate under the law or has perpetrated fraud against the MVC in obtaining plates for its members. The bill expands this authority by permitting the MVC to discontinue, prohibit new sales of, and suspend any annual renewal fees of any special registration plates established by the MVC and certain statutorily-established special registration plates enumerated in the bill, if: (1) for certain organization plates, the sponsoring organization of the organization plate fails to comply with the provisions of State law governing the use of special registration plates; (2) fewer than 500 sets of the special registration plates have been sold in the first full fiscal year of sales after the effective date of the bill; (3) the revenue derived from the fees, which are dedicated to the support of the particular fund or cause, is less than $7,500; (4) after a fiscal analysis conducted by the MVC, the chief administrator determines that it is no longer cost effective to produce and sell the special registration plate; (5) the MVC determines that the sponsoring organization is no longer qualified for the type of special registration plate for which the sponsoring organization has applied; or (6) the sponsoring organization has perpetrated fraud against the MVC in obtaining a special registration plate. A person who owns a motor vehicle displaying valid, yet discontinued, special registration plates may continue to display those plates on the person's motor vehicle until the plates are recalled by the chief administrator, provided the motor vehicle's registration is properly renewed, the special registration plates remain legible, and the person is eligible to display the special registration plates pursuant to law. Special Provisions for the Discontinuance of Dedicated Cause Plates Prior to the discontinuance of any statutorily-established dedicated cause plate, the chief administrator is required to notify the sponsoring organization of the MVC's decision to discontinue the dedicated cause plate. Not later than the first day of the sixth month following the receipt of the MVC's notice to discontinue, an eligible sponsoring organization may apply to have the special registration plate reissued as an organization plate. Upon the discontinuance of a dedicated cause plate, the MVC is to cease collecting any fee for the renewal of the dedicated cause plate and to remit any remaining revenue generated to the statutorily established funds or the causes those plates support. The chief administrator may authorize an entity or organization that receives revenues generated through the issuance or renewal fees of a discontinued dedicated cause plate to solicit and collect voluntary donations from any registrant displaying discontinued plates. Other Provisions The bill changes the fee for transferring personalized, courtesy, or special registration plates to another motor vehicle from $4.50 to an amount to be determined by the chief administrator. Under the bill, the chief administrator has the sole authority to determine which special registration plates are to be made available at MVC field offices and motor vehicle dealerships. Finally, the bill repeals a statutory provision permitting special registrations and special registration plates for motor vehicles used in connection with a convention, conference, meeting, pageant, parade, celebration, or similar function.

Committee Categories

Troy Singleton (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee (on 02/13/2025)

Official Document