39:3-33.9 - Issuance of reflectorized motor vehicle registration plates
39:3-33.9 Issuance of reflectorized motor vehicle registration plates.
2. a. The chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall implement a phase-in program for the issuance of reflectorized motor vehicle registration plates in this State, the planning of which shall begin immediately for the issuance which shall begin on the first day of the seventh month following the report of the Reflectorized License Plate Selection Commission established pursuant to this section of this 1989 amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.1989, c.202 (C.39:3-33.9), except that the commission shall first use any existing supplies of nonreflectorized plates which it orders prior to the commencement of the issuance. The purpose of the issuance shall be to change the color scheme and style of the registration plates in use prior to the beginning of the issuance in order to provide for greater contrast between the background of the plate and the lettering and to ensure that all plates are fully treated with a reflectorized material designed to increase their nighttime visibility and legibility. The color scheme and style of the new plates shall be selected by the Reflectorized License Plate Selection Commission. The markings on the plates shall be in accordance with specifications prescribed by the chief administrator.
For a period of six years commencing on the first day of the seventh month following enactment of this 1989 amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.1989, c.202 (C.39:3-33.9 et al.), the commission may charge in addition to an annual motor vehicle registration fee, an additional annual fee not to exceed $0.40 for the costs of the issuance of reflectorized motor vehicle registration plates in this State.
b.The chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) in order to effectuate the purposes of this act.
c.The chief administrator shall submit an annual progress report on the planning and implementation of the reflectorized motor vehicle registration plate phase-in program to the Governor and members of the Legislature with the first report to be submitted one year after enactment of this 1989 amendatory and supplementary act. The annual report submitted after the fourth year of implementation shall contain a recommendation as to the advisability and feasibility of a general recall of all plates of an earlier design that are still in use at the completion of the phase-in program. This report shall also contain the chief administrator's recommendation of a funding source for the ongoing costs associated with the continued issuance of reflectorized plates. The last report shall be submitted after the completion of the phase-in program.
L.1989, c.202, s.2; amended 2007, c.39, s.5.
39:3-33.10.Issuance of wildlife conservation license plates; establishment of "Wildlife Conservation Fund"
1. a. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may issue for a motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State, wildlife conservation license plates bearing, in addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, words or a slogan and an emblem, to be designed by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and approved by the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, indicating support for, or an interest in, wildlife conservation. Issuance of wildlife conservation license plates in accordance with this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter otherwise specifically provided.
b. Application for issuance of a wildlife conservation license plate shall be made to the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles on such forms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the director. In order to be deemed complete, an application shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, payable to the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles. The $50 fee for a wildlife conservation license plate shall be in addition to the fees otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of motor vehicles. Monies collected from the fees for wildlife conservation license plates shall be deposited into a non-lapsing, interest-bearing "Wildlife Conservation Fund," which is herewith established in the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife. Interest or other income earned on monies deposited into the Wildlife Conservation Fund shall be credited to the fund for use as set forth in this section for other monies in the fund.
c. Except as provided in section 1 of P.L.1995, c.241 (C.39:3-33.11), monies in the Wildlife Conservation Fund shall be utilized by the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife: (1) to reimburse the Division of Motor Vehicles for all costs incurred by that division, as stipulated by the director of that division, in producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of wildlife conservation license plates; and (2) for endangered and nongame species conservation, including effectuating the purposes of "The Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act," P.L.1973, c.309 (C.23:2A-1 et seq.). The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall annually certify to the Director of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife the average cost per license plate incurred in the immediately preceding year by the Division of Motor Vehicles in producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of wildlife conservation license plates.
d. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain wildlife conservation license plates by including a notice with all motor vehicle registration renewals, and by posting appropriate posters or signs in all division facilities and offices, as may be provided by the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife. The notices, posters, and signs shall be designed by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The designs shall be subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the Director of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife shall supply the Division of Motor Vehicles with the notices, posters, and signs to be circulated or posted by that division.
e. The directors of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife and the Division of Motor Vehicles shall develop and enter into an interagency memorandum of agreement setting forth the procedures to be followed by the two divisions in carrying out their respective responsibilities under this act.
L.1993,c.119,s.1; amended 1995,c.241,s.2.
39:3-33.11.Annual renewal fee; use1.The annual renewal fee for the registration certificate of a motor vehicle for which a wildlife conservation license plate has been issued shall include, in each year subsequent to the year of issuance, a wildlife conservation license plate renewal fee in the amount of $10, which shall be in addition to the fee for the renewal of the registration certificate, and which shall be collected by the Division of Motor Vehicles.
For each $10 wildlife conservation license plate renewal fee collected, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall deposit:
a. $3 thereof into a non-lapsing, interest-bearing "Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund" to be established in the Department of the Treasury. Interest or other income earned on monies deposited into the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund shall be credited to the fund for use as set forth in this subsection for other monies in that fund. Monies in the Marine Mammal Stranding Center Fund shall be withdrawn by the State Treasurer and disbursed to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey, upon request of the center pursuant to a voucher system to be established by the State Treasurer. The center shall indicate on each voucher request the purpose to which the monies disbursed shall be applied. Monies disbursed from the fund to the center shall be utilized by the center in support of its work pertaining to the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation of marine mammals and marine reptiles, and toward meeting the costs of related research and public education activities, and may be applied toward the costs of personnel and the purchase and maintenance of equipment and supplies for such purposes. The State Treasurer shall provide an annual report to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center on the status of the fund, and the center shall provide an annual report to the State Treasurer documenting expenditures by the center of monies from the fund; and
b. $7 thereof into the Wildlife Conservation Fund established pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.1993, c.119 (C.39:3-33.10), of which:
(1) $5 shall be utilized by the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife for the purpose only of funding research, information and data collection and dissemination, population and habitat studies, environmental education, and conservation activities pertaining to endangered and non-game wildlife , and which may include the funding of full-time or part-time personnel and the purchase and maintenance of equipment and supplies dedicated to that purpose ; and
(2) $2 shall be made available to the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife for the purpose only of providing funding grants to endangered and non-game wildlife conservation projects proposed by nonprofit organizations.
The Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations which set forth the criteria for awarding grants pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.
c. Any person whose application for issuance of a wildlife conservation license plate has been received by the State prior to the effective date of P.L.1995, c.241, or is received within 30 days thereafter, shall be permanently exempt from payment of the $10 annual wildlife conservation license plate renewal fee required pursuant to this section for that wildlife conservation license plate unless the person waives the exemption on a form therefor to be provided by the Division of Motor Vehicles at the time of renewal of the registration certificate for the motor vehicle.
L.1995,c.241,s.1.