Authorizes creation of Student Movement Against Cancer license plates.
The bill is designed to support the SMAC foundation, which has a history of fundraising for cancer research and assistance for affected individuals. Revenue collected from the specialty license plates will contribute to a special non-lapsing fund, which is expected to annually benefit the foundation's charitable mission. The initiative places the financial responsibility for the initial cost of design and production on the SMAC foundation, ensuring no state funds are utilized for these expenses. This approach aims to promote civic engagement among students, empowering them to be advocates in the fight against cancer.
Bill S2048, introduced in the New Jersey Legislature, authorizes the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to issue special Student Movement Against Cancer (SMAC) license plates. The proposed license plate will feature the words 'Peace Out, Cancer' along with an emblem representing the SMAC foundation. This initiative aims to raise awareness for cancer and support funding through the sale of specialty license plates, which adds a fee on top of existing vehicle registration fees. Specifically, there will be an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10, with all proceeds directed into a designated fund for the SMAC foundation's programs.
One major aspect of S2048 is its requirement that the SMAC foundation raise private funds, not exceeding $25,000, for the initial setup costs of the license plate program. Moreover, the bill stipulates that no public funds be allocated to cover these initial expenses. This could draw criticism regarding the viability of the program, especially if the foundation struggles to meet those fundraising goals within the stipulated timeframe. Additionally, there are provisions allowing the Chief Administrator to discontinue the license plate program if production costs exceed the application fee over consecutive years, adding financial viability concerns to the discourse surrounding the bill.