39:3-27.148 Military Veteran motorcycle license plates.

1. a. Upon proper application, the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall issue Military Veteran motorcycle license plates for any motorcycle owned or leased and registered in this State. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, the license plate shall display the words, "U.S. Vet" along with an image or other pictorial representation of the flag of the United States of America. The chief administrator, in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, shall select the design of the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates. The Military Veteran motorcycle license plates 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 Military Veteran motorcycle license plate shall be made to the chief administrator on forms and in a manner prescribed by the chief administrator. The application shall include proof satisfactory to the chief administrator that the applicant is a military veteran and has been honorably discharged as certified on the applicant's DD-214 form or on a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. In order to be deemed complete, an application shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, payable to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which shall be in addition to the fee otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motorcycle. The chief administrator shall collect annually, subsequent to the year of issuance of the Military Veteran motorcycle license plate, a $10 fee for the license plate in addition to the fee otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of a motorcycle. The additional fees required by this subsection shall be deposited in the "Military Veteran Motorcycle License Plate Fund" created pursuant to subsection c. of this section.

The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran, who is eligible to operate a motorcycle in this State under the provisions of R.S.39:3-10, may retain the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates obtained by the deceased spouse pursuant to this section for display on a motorcycle owned or leased by the surviving spouse.

c. There is created in the Department of the Treasury a special non-lapsing fund to be known as the "Military Veteran Motorcycle License Plate Fund." There shall be deposited in the fund the amount collected from all license plate fees collected pursuant to subsection b. of this section, less the amounts necessary to reimburse the commission for administrative costs pursuant to subsection d. of this section. Monies deposited in the fund shall be appropriated annually to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and shall be used to support programs benefiting military veterans. Monies deposited in the fund shall be held in interest-bearing accounts in a public depository as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1970, c.236 (C.17:9-41), and may be invested or reinvested in securities approved by the State Treasurer. Interest or other income earned on monies deposited into the fund, and any monies which may be appropriated or otherwise become available for the purposes of the fund, shall be credited to and deposited in the fund for use as set forth in P.L.2017, c.193 (C.39:3-27.148 et seq.).

d. Prior to the deposit of the additional fees collected pursuant to subsection b. of this section into the "Military Veteran Motorcycle License Plate Fund," amounts thereof as are necessary shall be used to reimburse the commission for all costs reasonably and actually incurred, as stipulated by the chief administrator, for:

(1) designing, producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates; and

(2) any computer programming changes that may be initially necessary to implement the Military Veteran motorcycle license plate program in an amount not to exceed $150,000.

The chief administrator shall annually certify to the State Treasurer the average cost per license plate incurred in the immediately preceding year by the commission in producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates. The annual certification of the average cost per license plate shall be approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor.

In the event that the average cost per license plate as certified by the chief administrator and approved by the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its successor, is greater than the $50 application fee established in subsection b. of this section in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the issuance of Military Veteran motorcycle license plates.

e. The chief administrator shall notify eligible motorists of the opportunity to obtain Military Veteran motorcycle license plates by publicizing the availability of the license plates on the commission's website. The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, and any other individual or entity designated by the department, may publicize the availability of the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates in any manner that the department deems appropriate.

f. The chief administrator and adjutant general shall develop and enter into an inter-departmental memorandum of agreement setting forth the procedures to be followed in carrying out their respective responsibilities under P.L.2017, c.193 (C.39:3-27.148 et seq.).

g. The adjutant general shall appoint a representative who shall act as a liaison between the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and the commission. The liaison shall represent the department in any and all communications with the commission regarding the Military Veteran motorcycle license plates established by P.L.2017, c.193 (C.39:3-27.148 et seq.).

L.2017, c.193, s.1.