HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE

LICENSE PLATE

House Bill 4434 (Substitute H-3)

Sponsor:  Rep. Joel Johnson

Committee:  Transportation

Complete to 5-4-12

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4434 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON 5-2-12

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:

·                    Require the Secretary of State to develop and issue a fund-raising license plate and a matching collector plate promoting hospice and palliative care.  The Secretary of State, in conjunction with Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, would design the plate.

·                    Require the SOS to disburse fund-raising donations for the plates to the State Treasurer, who would credit the donation money to the Hospice and Palliative Care Fund.

·                    Create the Hospice and Palliative Care Fund within the State Treasury to receive donations from plate sales and from any other source.  The Treasurer would direct the investment of the Fund and credit to it interest and earnings from investments. Money in the Fund at the close of the fiscal year would remain in the Fund and not lapse into the state General Fund.

·                    Require the State Treasurer to disburse money in the Fund on a quarterly basis to the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

MCL 257.811u

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would require the payment (presumably by the sponsor of a new fund-raising plate) of a non-refundable $15,000 start-up fee to be deposited in the TACF for the cost of developing, producing, and issuing fund-raising plates.  Under the Vehicle Code, if the start-up fee is not paid within 18 months of the effective date of the public act authorizing the new fund-raising plates, the related fund-raising plate could not be created, produced, or issued. The amount of funds that would be raised under the bill for the Hospice and Palliative Care Fund is unknown and would be a function of the number of plates issued by the Department of State. 

POSITIONS:

Representatives from the following organizations testified on 4-25-12 in support of the bill:

-Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

-Memorial Healthcare Hospice of Owosso

-Sparrow Hospice Services

-Hospice at Home

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   E. Best

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Ben Gielczyk

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.