CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATE S.B. 600 (S-2):
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 600 (Substitute S-2)
Sponsor: Senator Patrick J. Colbeck
Committee: Transportation
Date Completed: 1-23-12
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Require the Secretary of State (SOS) to develop a fund-raising license plate recognizing Choose Life Michigan.
-- Create the "Choose Life Michigan Fund" and require donations for the plates to be deposited into the Fund.
-- Require the Fund money to be disbursed to Choose Life Michigan and spent on projects that promoted abortion alternatives, provided support to pregnant women, and provided outreach to at-risk populations.
Specifically, the bill would require the SOS to develop under Section 811e and issue under Section 811f a fund-raising plate recognizing Choose Life Michigan. The SOS would have to design the plate in conjunction with Choose Life Michigan.
(Section 811e prescribes a start-up fee of $15,000 for each new authorized fund-raising license plate. The fee must be deposited in the Transportation Administration Collection Fund to be used for the cost of creating, producing, and issuing fund-raising plates. The SOS may not develop or issue a new fund-raising plate unless a public act authorizing the plate identifies its purpose, creates a nonprofit fund or designates an existing nonprofit fund to receive the money received through the sale of the plate, and names the person or entity responsible for administering the fund.
Section 811f prescribes a $25 donation and $10 service fee, in addition to the regular vehicle registration tax, for an original fund-raising plate. For a renewal, an applicant must pay a $10 donation in addition to the registration tax.)
The bill would create the Choose Life Michigan Fund within the State Treasury. The State Treasurer could receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the Fund. The Treasurer would have to direct investment of the Fund, and credit to it any interest and earnings. Money in the Fund at the close of the fiscal year would remain in the Fund and would not lapse to the General Fund. The SOS would be the administrator of the Fund for auditing purposes.
The SOS would have to transfer the donation money from the sale of the proposed fund-raising plate to the State Treasurer, who would have to credit the money to the Fund. The State Treasurer would have to disburse money in the Fund on a quarterly basis to Choose Life Michigan.
Money from the Fund would have to be spent on projects that promoted alternatives to abortion, including adoption, provided practical support to pregnant women, and provided practical outreach to at-risk populations regarding positive pregnancy options.
Proposed MCL 257.811s Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would create a start-up cost to the Department of State. The start-up fee of $15,000 prescribed in the Code could be paid to the Department of State from the Choose Life Michigan Fund proposed in the bill; however, the bill does not include such a requirement. The revenue generated from the fund-raising license plate established under the bill would be deposited into the proposed Choose Life Michigan Fund, after which the State Treasurer would disburse payments from the Fund on a quarterly basis to Choose Life Michigan.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.
Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb600/1112