HB 388:
"AN ACT establishing university number plates."

HB 388-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2015 SESSION

15-0273

03/04

HOUSE BILL 388-FN-A

AN ACT establishing university number plates.

SPONSORS: Rep. S. Sweeney, Hills 23; Rep. Danielson, Hills 7; Rep. Hansberry, Hills 35; Rep. Byron, Hills 20; Rep. Beaudoin, Straf 9; Rep. Ammon, Hills 40; Rep. Goulette, Hills 23; Rep. Biggie, Hills 23; Rep. Horrigan, Straf 6

COMMITTEE: Transportation

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes university number plates to fund the New Hampshire excellence in higher education endowment trust fund.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

15-0273

03/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen

AN ACT establishing university number plates.

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

1 New Hampshire Excellence in Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund. Amend RSA 6:38, I to read as follows:

I. There is hereby established in the office of the treasurer the New Hampshire excellence in higher education endowment trust fund which shall be kept distinct and separate from all other funds. Annual administrative fees less any annual administrative costs received from the New Hampshire college tuition savings plan established under RSA 195-H and revenue received from the university number plate program established in RSA 261:97-g shall be credited to the trust fund to provide scholarships for the benefit of residents of the state pursuing programs of study at eligible educational institutions within the state.

2 New Subdivision; University Number Plates. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 97-f the following new subdivision:

University Number Plates

261:97-g University Number Plates.

I. The director is hereby authorized to issue special university number plates, in lieu of other number plates. The design of these special plates shall be determined as provided in RSA 261:97-h. The plates shall retain the "live free or die" logo. Such plates shall be issued only upon application and upon payment of a $50 fee that shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee and any other number plate fees otherwise required.

II. The commissioner is also authorized to issue vanity university number plates. The fee for any such vanity university plate shall be the fee as provided in RSA 261:97-g, 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 $50 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 deposited in the New Hampshire excellence in higher education endowment trust fund established in RSA 6:38. 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.

261:97-h New Hampshire University Number Plate Advisory Committee; Duties; Meetings.

I. A New Hampshire university number plate advisory committee is hereby established. The university number plate advisory committee shall be composed of the following:

(a) The chancellor of the university system of New Hampshire, or designee.

(b) The commissioner of resources and economic development, or designee.

(c) The commissioner of safety, or designee.

(d) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(e) Three members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

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 approval by the commissioner of safety. The commissioner of safety 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, may enter into contractual arrangements for the commercial use of the university number plate design. Any royalties derived from such contracts shall be deposited in the New Hampshire excellence in higher education endowment trust fund established in RSA 6:38.

(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 scholarships proposed for the coming year to ensure that they are in accordance with legislative intent.

IV. 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.

V. Any vacant position shall be filled by the appropriate authority.

VI. 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 number plate program are being achieved.

261:97-i Plate Use. Plates may be used on passenger motor vehicles and recreation vehicles.

261:97-j Report.

I. The committee chairperson shall compile a unified report and submit the unified report to the governor, president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives 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 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 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 in the New Hampshire excellence in higher education endowment trust fund during the preceding fiscal year.

(b) A report from each of the scholarship programs receiving proceeds under this subdivision, indicating:

(1) The amount of proceeds received under this subdivision.

(2) Total funds expended.

(3) Accomplishments achieved pursuant to this subdivision during the preceding fiscal year.

(4) A summary projection of the scholarships to be granted in the ensuing fiscal year with proceeds from the fund.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.

LBAO

15-0273

01/15/15

HB 388-FN-A - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing university number plates.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of Safety states this bill, as introduced, will increase state revenue by $38,700 in FY 2016, and $154,800 in FY 2017 and each year thereafter, increase state highway fund expenditures by $290,100 in FY 2016, and $8,000 in FY 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter, and increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2016. There will be no impact on county expenditures, or county and local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

The Department of Safety states the proposed legislation authorizes the Department to issue special university number plates with the proceeds, less necessary production and administration costs as approved by the fiscal committee of the general court, being directed to the New Hampshire Excellence in Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund. The Department states the initial costs associated with the establishment and disbursement of an additional special plate to be $290,100 in FY 2016, with subsequent annual costs of continued production and administration to be $8,000 in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. The Department also notes the establishment of an additional special plate would require municipalities to implement programming changes to their private software programs in FY 2016. However, the Department is unable to estimate to what extent these programming changes would increase local expenditures. 
The Department states there are approximately 103,200 University System of New Hampshire students and alumni. The Department estimates 3% of students and alumni would purchase plates thereby generating approximately $154,800 of revenue annually (103,200 x 3% x $50). Allowing 9 months for design and production, including necessary programming changes to the Department’s information systems; and allowing for the recovery of initial set up and production costs; the Department states the proposed legislation would increase highway fund revenue by $38,700 ($154,800 x 25%) in FY 2016, $154,800 in FY 2017, $112,600 in FY 2018 and by $8,000 in FY 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter. Once initial production costs are recuperated by the Department, the remaining funds are directed to the New Hampshire Excellence in Higher Education Endowment Trust Fund resulting in an increase of state restricted revenues of $42,200 in FY 2018 and by $146,800 in FY 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
The Department notes the division of motor vehicles is currently in the process of implementing a project to replace several systems including those associated with driver licensing, financial responsibility, auto dealer and inspection stations, and financial subsystems. The Department states the diversion of resources necessary to establish and disburse the additional special plate could impede the Department’s ability meet its obligation to the vendor which could in turn, result in additional costs jeopardizing the Department’s ability to complete the project within its current appropriation.