HB 1269-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2000 SESSION
HOUSE BILL 1269-FN
AN ACT relative to the creation of a university system of New Hampshire license plate.
SPONSORS: Rep. Rodrigue, Coos 7
This bill establishes a university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund, and a special motor vehicle number plate and associated fees, to provide scholarships to New Hampshire residents attending university system of New Hampshire schools.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
00-2406
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand
AN ACT relative to the creation of a university system of New Hampshire license plate.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; University System of New Hampshire Number Plates and Trust Fund. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 97-f the following new subdivision:
University System of New Hampshire Number Plates and Trust Fund
261:97-g University System of New Hampshire Number Plates.
I. The director is hereby authorized to issue special university system of New Hampshire number plates, in lieu of other number plates. The design of these special plates shall be determined as provided in RSA 261:97-j. Such plates shall be issued only upon application and upon payment of a $25 fee that shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee and any other number plates fees otherwise required.
II. The commissioner is also authorized to issue vanity university system of New Hampshire number plates. The fee for any such vanity plate shall be the fee as provided in paragraph I, in addition to the fees for vanity plates which are otherwise established by law. The vanity plate portion of the fee shall be distributed as provided in RSA 261:89 and RSA 263:52.
III. Plates shall be renewed on an annual basis for $25 per set. Of this sum, the department shall retain an amount as is necessary to recover production and administrative costs as approved by the fiscal committee of the general court. The remaining funds shall be paid to the state treasurer and distributed as provided in RSA 261:97-h. The cost of the replacement number plates shall be identical to the cost of initial number plates and the revenue from replacement number plates shall be distributed in the same manner as revenue derived from initial number plates.
261:97-h University System of New Hampshire Number Plate Trust Fund.
I. There is hereby established a university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund under the administration of the state treasurer. The fund shall be used to establish a university system scholarship fund for New Hampshire residents seeking to attend institutions within the university system of New Hampshire. The fund shall be non-lapsing. The state treasurer shall distribute the funds annually on July 1.
II. Each institution of higher education receiving funding from the university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund shall establish a line item in their budget. Moneys received from the university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund shall be in addition to any other sums appropriated and shall not replace base funding received by any of these institutions through the budget process.
261:97-i Use of Funds. The moneys in the fund shall be distributed as provided in RSA 261:97-h, to provide scholarships to New Hampshire residents attending university system of New Hampshire schools.
261:97-j University System of New Hampshire Number Plate Advisory Committee; Duties; Meetings.
I. A university system of New Hampshire number plate advisory committee is hereby established. The university system of New Hampshire number plate advisory committee shall be composed of the following:
(a) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.
(b) Three members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(c) The commissioner of safety, or designee.
(d) One member of the university system of New Hampshire's board of trustees, appointed by the chairperson of the board.
(e) One employee of the university system of New Hampshire, appointed by the chancellor.
(f) One student currently enrolled in the university system of New Hampshire, appointed by the chancellor.
II. The first appointed house member shall act as chairperson of the committee.
III. The committee shall:
(a) Jointly determine the plate design, with final design approval resting with the commissioner of safety. The commissioner shall establish a numbering system and method of distribution.
(b) Register the design with the secretary of state. The commissioner of safety, with the approval of the governor and council, shall have the authority to enter into contractual arrangements for the commercial use of the university system of New Hampshire number plate design. Any royalties derived from such contracts shall be deposited into the university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund created under RSA 261:97-h.
(c) Monitor the implementation of the program through an annual evaluation of scholarships awarded during the preceding year and an assessment, prior to implementation, of scholarship awards proposed for the coming year to ensure that they are in accordance with legislative intent.
(d) The committee shall meet at least annually, but more often if necessary. The members shall serve without compensation, except that legislative members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate. The committee chairperson shall appoint a secretary from within the committee to keep a detailed record of all proceedings.
(e) Any vacant position shall be filled by the appropriate authority.
(f) All proceeds from the sale of products using the university system of New Hampshire number plate design by an agency authorized to receive proceeds from the trust fund created under RSA 261:97-h may be retained by such agency.
(g) It shall be the duty of legislative members of the committee to initiate appropriate legislation to ensure that the purposes and goals of the university system of New Hampshire number plate program are being achieved.
261:97-k Plate Use. Plates may be used on passenger motor vehicles and recreation vehicles.
261:97-l Report.
I. The members representing the board of trustees, employees, and students of the university system of New Hampshire and the commissioner or safety, or designee, shall each submit a report to the university system of New Hampshire number plate advisory committee chairperson no later than October 1 of each year. The committee chairperson shall then compile and submit a unified report to the governor, senate president, and the speaker of the house no later than December 31 of each year.
II. The unified report shall contain the following:
(a) A report from the department of safety indicating:
(1) The total number of university system of New Hampshire number plates sold during the preceding year, including the number of initial plates and the number of renewals.
(2) The gross revenue derived from the sale of university system of New Hampshire number plates.
(3) The amount retained by the department of safety to cover administrative costs of the program.
(4) The amount paid to the state treasurer for deposit into the university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund during the preceding fiscal year.
(b) A report from each of the representatives on the committee benefiting from receipt of proceeds under RSA 261:97-i, indicating:
(1) The amount of proceeds received under RSA 261:97-i.
(2) Total funds expended.
(3) Scholarships awarded pursuant to RSA 261:97-i during the preceding fiscal year.
(4) An outline of the scholarship initiatives to be conducted in the ensuing fiscal year with proceeds from the fund.
2 New Subparagraph; Application of Receipts. Amend RSA 6:12, I by inserting after subparagraph (aaaa) the following new subparagraph:
(bbbb) The designated portion of moneys received under RSA 261:97-g, which shall be credited to the university system of New Hampshire number plate trust fund established in RSA 261:97-h.
3 Date for Implementation; Issuance of University System of New Hampshire Number Plates. The director shall begin issuing special university system of New Hampshire number plates under RSA 261:97-g on or before January 1, 2001.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
00-2406
12/6/99
HB 1269-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to the creation of a university system of New Hampshire license plate.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety has determined this bill may have an indeterminable increase in state restricted revenue and expenditures in FY 2001 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department has stated this bill authorizes the Department to issue special University System of New Hampshire license plates for $25, in addition to the regular fees. The fiscal impact would be the $25, less related costs per set of plates, times the number of sets issued, less startup costs. However, the Department cannot estimate the number of plates that will be issued, therefor, the Department cannot estimate the overall fiscal impact. The Department stated minimum startup costs of any new plate issue are $25,000 for various items, including computer time, planning time, artist fees, special printing, handling and accounting. In addition, assuming the minimum number of plates for any new issue would be 5,000 pairs, the up-front costs to manufacture these plates is approximately $67,500, for a total minimum cost of $92,500 before any plates are sold.
The University System of New Hampshire stated funds deposited into the University System Number Plate Trust Fund would be distributed as scholarship aid to students.