DETROIT TEAM/MIS PLATES S.B. 186:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 186 (as introduced 3-5-15)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Provide for fund-raising plates or collector plates recognizing the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, the Detroit Lions, the Detroit Pistons, and Michigan International Speedway (MIS).
-- Create the "Detroit Red Wings Fund", the "Detroit Tigers Fund", the "Detroit Lions Fund", the "Detroit Pistons Fund", and the "MIS Cares Fund".
-- Require donations for the proposed plates to be deposited into the respective Fund, to be distributed to the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, the Detroit Tigers Foundation, the Detroit Lions Charities, the Come Together Foundation, and MIS Cares, as applicable.
-- Require each of those foundations to submit to the Secretary of State an annual summary of the previous year's expenditures of the money received under the bill.
The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.
Under the bill, a fund-raising plate or collector plate recognizing the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, the Detroit Lions, the Detroit Pistons, or MIS would have to bear an appropriate logo. Each of the teams, or a representative or agent of MIS, as applicable, would have to submit a design for its logo to the Secretary of State (SOS). The SOS would have to confer with the Michigan Department of State Police to ensure that the designs would not compromise the ability of law enforcement agencies to identify specific vehicles accurately.
Registration plates bearing a Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, or MIS logo could not duplicate another registration plate. Each of the teams and MIS would have to comply with certain provisions in the Code regarding the design of special organization plates.
The bill would create the Detroit Red Wings Fund, the Detroit Tigers Fund, the Detroit Lions Fund, the Detroit Pistons Fund, and the MIS Cares Fund within the State Treasury. The State Treasurer could receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the Funds. The Treasurer would have to direct the investment of the Funds and credit to them interest and earnings from Fund investments. Money in the Funds at the close of the fiscal year would have to remain in the Funds and not lapse to the State General Fund.
The SOS would have to transfer the donation money from the sale of fund-raising plates recognizing the teams and MIS to the State Treasurer, who would have to credit the donation money to the appropriate Fund. The State Treasurer would have to disburse money in the
Funds on a quarterly basis to the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, the Detroit Tigers Foundation, the Detroit Lions Charities, the Come Together Foundation, and MIS Cares, as applicable.
Beginning within one year after the SOS issued each fund-raising plate, the respective foundation would have to submit to the Treasurer an annual summary of the expenditures during the preceding year of the money received under the bill.
Proposed MCL 257.811cc-257.811gg 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 for each new plate could be paid to the Department, separately from the Detroit Red Wings Fund, the Detroit Tigers Fund, the Detroit Lions Fund, the Detroit Pistons Fund, and the MIS Cares Fund proposed in the bill; however, the bill does not include such a requirement. The State Treasurer would disburse payments from the Funds on a quarterly basis to the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, the Detroit Tigers Foundation, the Detroit Lions Charities, the Come Together Foundation, and MIS Cares.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.
This 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.