HB461 (2005) Detail

Establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.


HB 461-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2005 SESSION

05-0396

03/01

HOUSE BILL 461-FN

AN ACT establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.

SPONSORS: Rep. F. Sullivan, Hills 12; Rep. Pilotte, Hills 16; Rep. Hunter, Hills 7; Rep. Baroody, Hills 13; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Martel, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Transportation

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05-0396

03/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five

AN ACT establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Subdivision; Number Plates Supporting New Hampshire Public Higher Education. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 97-f the following new subdivision:

Number Plates Supporting New Hampshire Public Higher Education

261:97-g Number Plates Supporting New Hampshire Public Higher Education.

I. The director is hereby authorized to issue special number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education, in lieu of other number plates. The commissioner shall determine the design of these special plates; there shall be 3 separate plates which shall incorporate, respectively, the mascots of the university of New Hampshire wildcats, the Plymouth state university panthers, and the Keene state college owls. The plates shall retain the “live free or die” logo. Applicants for such plates shall designate which university or college they wish to support, and shall be issued a plate incorporating the mascot of the university or college chosen. 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 plate fees otherwise required.

II. 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, who shall deposit 1/2 of the funds in the general fund and 1/2 of the funds in the university system of New Hampshire fund under RSA 187-A:7 to be credited for the benefit of the university or college designated by the applicant. The cost of 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.

III. Plates may be used on passenger motor vehicles and recreation vehicles.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

LBAO

05-0396

1/26/05

HB 461-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Department of Safety indicates this bill will increase state restricted expenditures and revenue and general fund revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2006 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department stated this bill intends to establish three separate number plates supporting New Hampshire higher education. The Department cannot determine how many persons would purchase these plates nor how many would purchase these plates in lieu of other vanity plates, which would reduce the revenue to the Driver and Safety Education Fund by the $25 fee. Revenue generated from the sale of the new plates would be split 50/50 between the general fund and university system fund. The Department estimates that the minimum startup costs of any new plate issue is $30,000 for various items, such as computer time, planning time, artist fees, special printing, handling, and accounting. In addition, the cost to manufacture the minimum issue of 5,000 pair of plates is as much as $13 a pair; the economies of scale occur only with large runs. If only a small quantity was sold, the Department estimates that after expenses, the funds would receive about $4 on each pair sold.