HB 610-FN-A – AS INTRODUCED
2011 SESSION
03/04
HOUSE BILL 610-FN-A
AN ACT establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.
SPONSORS: Rep. Horrigan, Straf 7
This bill establishes number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11-0329
03/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
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, which shall incorporate 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. Such plates shall be issued only upon application and upon payment of a $30 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 $30 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 ½ of the funds in the highway fund and ½ of the funds in the university system of New Hampshire fund under RSA 187-A:7 to be credited proportionately for the benefit of each university or college in the university system based on enrollment. 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, 2011.
LBAO
11-0329
01/20/11
HB 610-FN-A - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT establishing number plates supporting New Hampshire public higher education.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill will increase state highway fund revenue by $154,800 in FY 2012 and FY 2013, $113,904 in FY 2014, and $87,618 in FY 2015, and state restricted revenue by $40,896 in FY 2014 and $67,182 in FY 2015. The Department states it will increase state highway fund expenditures by $341,736 in FY 2012, by $20,436 in FY 2013 and FY 2014, and by $25,344 in FY 2015; and increase local revenue by $4,908 in FY 2015. There will be no fiscal impact on county revenues or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes number plates supporting New Hampshire Higher Education. The proposed legislation states such plates shall be issued for a $30 fee in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee and any other number plate fee required. Of the $30 fee, the Department of Safety shall retain an amount sufficient to recover production and administrative costs with the remainder being split evenly between the highway fund and the University System of NH. Although there is no University System attendance requirement for purchase of these special plates, the Department of Safety assumes only current or former students would purchase the plates. The Department estimates there are approximately 103,200 total students and alumni of the University System and approximately 5,160 of them would purchase and then renew the plates annually. The Department estimates the annual revenues, and production and administrative expenditures as follows:
FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015
Estimated Plate Revenue
5,160 pairs of plates ($30 fee) $154,800 $154,800 $154,800 $154,800
Production & Administrative Costs
Programming (1,836 hrs x $175/hr) $321,300 $0 $0 $0
Sheeting ($2,000/roll; 4 rolls/year) $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 $8,000
Mailing (5,160 pairs x $2.41/pair) $12,436 $12,436 $12,436 $12,436
Production & Administrative Costs $341,736 $20,436 $20,436 $20,436
Revenue less costs $(186,936) $134,364 $134,364 $134,364
Payback of prior years’ cost recovery $(134,364) $(52,572) $0
Remainder after cost recovery $0 $0 $81,792 $134,364
Highway Fund Revenue (50% of remainder) $0 $0 $40,896 $67,182
UNH Fund Revenue (50% of remainder) $0 $0 $40,896 $67,182
The total highway fund revenue increase would consist of the recovery of the costs associated with the program and 50% of the remaining revenue after those costs are paid back. As a result, all of the revenue collected for this program in FY 2012 and FY 2013 would go to the highway fund as cost recovery. In FY 2014, the highway fund revenue increase would be $113,904 ($52,572 of prior years’ cost recovery + $20,436 of current year cost recovery + $40,896 which is 50% of the remainder after cost recovery). In FY 2015, the highway fund revenue increase would be $87,618 ($20,436 of current year cost recovery and $67,182 which is 50% of the remainder after cost recovery). Of the increases in highway fund revenue, only that portion not associated with direct cost recovery would be included in the calculation of the distribution to municipalities, in accordance with RSA 235:23, in the form of local highway aid. This would result in a further increase in highway fund expenditures of $4,908 (12% + $40,896) in FY 2015, with a corresponding increase in local revenue. The total highway fund expenditure in FY 2015 would be $25,344 ($20,436 production and administration costs + $4,908 local aid).