Committee: Governmental Affairs Sponsor: Elliott
Analyst: Pete Grogan Date: 02/15/2022
FISCAL NOTE
Senate Bill 211 as introduced adopts the Uniform Certificate of Title for Vessels Act, effective January 1, 2023, and requires owners of vessels over 16 feet and under 26 feet, for which construction was completed after December 31, 2022, to obtain a certificate of title issued by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). This bill establishes a $25 fee to be paid upon application for a certificate of title (or replacement), application for transfer of ownership, or search requests. This will increase receipts to the Public Safety Fund by an undetermined amount dependent upon the number of new applications and search requests received each year. This increase in receipts to the Public Safety Fund will offset in part, the increased obligations of ALEA to develop and administer the titling program, estimated by ALEA to be $5.5 million in the first year, $1.0 million in the second year, and $600,000 each year thereafter.
This bill also requires each county licensing official to serve as an agent of ALEA for purposes of receiving documents pursuant to the provisions of this bill which will increase issuance fee receipts to county licensing officials by $15 for each certificate of title or transfer of ownership document received. The increase in issuance fee receipts to county licensing officials would offset the increased obligations of county licensing officials in the state, by an undetermined amount for the implementation and administration of this bill. In addition, this bill authorizes dealers or financial institutions to act as designated agents of ALEA to collect an issuance fee of no more than $5 for their services pursuant to the provisions of this bill.
In addition, this bill could increase receipts to the State General Fund, by an undetermined amount dependent upon the number of administrative penalties imposed for not complying with specific provisions of this bill and the amount of the administrative penalty imposed, ranging from $500 to $1,000.
Jimmy Holley, Chairperson Governmental Affairs