"CHOOSE LIFE" FUND-RAISING PLATE S.B. 84:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 84 (as introduced 2-9-15)
Sponsor: Senator Patrick J. Colbeck
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Require the Secretary of State (SOS) to develop and issue a fund-raising license plate recognizing the Choose Life Michigan Fund.
-- Create the "Choose Life Fund" and require donations for the plates to be deposited into the Fund.
-- Require the money in the proposed Fund to be disbursed to the Choose Life Michigan Fund for distribution to nonprofit organizations that promote alternatives to abortion.
The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.
Specifically, the bill would require the SOS to develop under Section 811e and issue under Section 811f a fund-raising plate recognizing the Choose Life Michigan Fund. The SOS would have to design the plate in conjunction with the board of the Choose Life Michigan Fund.
(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 Fund within the State Treasury. The State Treasurer could receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the Fund. The State Treasurer would have to direct the investment of the Fund, and credit to it any interest and earnings from the investments. 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 have to transfer the donation money from the sale of the fund-raising plates to the State Treasurer, who would have to credit the money to the proposed Choose Life Fund. On an annual basis, the State Treasurer would have to disburse money in the proposed Fund to the Choose Life Michigan Fund. The SOS would be the administrator of the proposed Fund for auditing purposes.
Money disbursed to the Choose Life Michigan Fund would have to be distributed to eligible nonprofit organizations that spend money on projects that promote alternatives to abortion.
"Eligible nonprofit organizations" would include crisis pregnancy centers, homes for pregnant women, and other organizations that provide practical support to pregnant women, provide outreach to at-risk populations, and promote life-saving programs and projects as alternatives to abortion.
"Projects that promote alternatives to abortion" would include media campaigns; specialty outreach to at-risk populations, including minorities, teenagers, college-aged women, and post-abortive women; and campaigns to promote adoption.
Proposed MCL 257.811z Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would create a start-up cost to the Department of State; however, the start-up fee of $15,000 prescribed in the Code would have to be paid to the Department of State from the Choose Life Fund proposed by the bill. The revenue generated from the fund-raising license plate would be deposited into the Fund, after which the State Treasurer would disburse payments from the Fund on a yearly basis to the Choose Life Michigan Fund.
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.