THIN BLUE LINE FUND-RAISING LICENSE PLATE
Senate Bill 77 as passed the Senate
Sponsor: Sen. Mike Nofs
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation
Complete to 9-11-17
SUMMARY:
Senate Bill 77 would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to require the Secretary of State (SOS) to develop and issue a Thin Blue Line fund-raising license plate and a matching Thin Blue Line collector plate. The SOS, in conjunction with the Thin Blue Line, Michigan would design the plates having the words "Thin Blue Line" and "Michigan" on the plate.
The bill would create the Thin Blue Line 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 direct the investment of the fund and credit to it any interest and earnings from fund investments. The Treasurer would be the administrator of the Thin Blue Line Fund for auditing purposes. Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year would remain in the fund and would not lapse to the General Fund.
Under the bill, money from the sale of Thin Blue Line fund-raising and collector plates would be deposited to the Thin Blue Line Fund, and the Treasurer would disburse the money in the fund on a quarterly basis to the Thin Blue Line of Michigan.
The bill would require Thin Blue Line of Michigan to spend the money received from the fund solely to assist and support the families of injured or deceased officers of public safety agencies within the state.
The bill would take effect 90 days after enactment.
Proposed MCL 257.811jj
FISCAL IMPACT:
Sec. 811e (2) of the Michigan Vehicle Code requires a start-up fee, for the cost of producing a new fund-raising plate, to be paid within 18 months after the effective date of a public act authorizing the creation of a fund-raising plate. This fee is customarily paid by the non-profit organization, in this case, The Thin Blue Line of Michigan. The start-up fee is calculated annually according to the prior three-year average cost of plate production as described in Sec. 811e. For Fiscal Year 2016-17, the start-up fee is $90,000. The fee would be deposited into the Transportation Administration Collection Fund (TACF), which is used to support Department of State (DOS) activities. The bill would therefore have no fiscal impact to DOS assuming the start-up fee is equal to the actual cost of production.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on local units of government.
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Cnossen
Kent Dell
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.