MI PET ALLIANCE FUNDRAISING PLATE        S.B. 106:

        SUMMARY OF BILL

        REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 106 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor: Senator Dayna Polehanki

Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure

 

 

CONTENT

 

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

 

--       Require the Secretary of State (SOS) to develop a fundraising plate, with the Michigan Pet Alliance (MPA), to support efforts to improve the welfare of companion animals.

--       Create the Protecting Michigan's Pets Fund (Fund) within the State Treasury and require money from the sale of these fundraising plates to be deposited into the Fund.

--       Require the State Treasurer to disburse money in the Fund to the MPA.

 

Proposed MCL 257.811kk

 

BRIEF RATIONALE

 

Reportedly, the State faces an animal welfare crisis. According to data gathered by the American Veterinary Medical Association, an estimated 62% of Michigan households owned a pet in 2018.¹ Despite this, testimony before the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure indicates that many animal shelters are at or above capacity, while some areas of the State have many stray and feral companion animals. Some believe that spaying and neutering companion animals would reduce the number of homeless pets and the strain on shelters. Accordingly, introducing a fundraising plate to that end has been suggested.

 

        Legislative Analyst: Abby Schneider

 

FISCAL IMPACT

 

The cost to create a fund-raising specialty plate currently averages an estimated $90,000 for design and production of the plate. This start-up cost would first need to be paid by the MPA before the Department of State (DOS) would begin production and issuance of the plate.

 

Upon issuance of a fund-raising plate, the applicant would have to submit a $25 fund-raising donation ($10 donation for a renewal) along with the applicable vehicle registration tax. The fund-raising donations would be deposited into the Fund, after which the State Treasurer would disburse payments from the Fund on a quarterly basis to the MPA. The vehicle registration tax revenue would be deposited into the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF) while any other fee revenue, aside from the fund-raising donation, would be deposited into the Transportation Administration Collection Fund. Finally, there could be additional costs to the DOS associated with the development and issuance of the new plate; however, these costs should be minimal and absorbable within annual appropriations. The MTF likely would not see much of an increase in revenues as most applicants for the new plate already are likely paying the vehicle registration tax, which would not be affected under this bill.

 

Date Completed: 6-12-25        Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco, Jr.

floor\sb106                Bill Analysis @ www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa

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.