Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Legislative Analysis
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MERCHANT MARINE SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE
                                                                              http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
House Bill 4723 as enacted
                                                                              Analysis available at
Public Act 88 of 2024                                                         http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Sponsor: Rep. Jason Morgan
House Committee: Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure
Senate Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
Complete to 8-7-24
SUMMARY:
        House Bill 4723 amends the Michigan Vehicle Code to create a Merchant Marine special
        registration plate.
        Under the bill, an individual who is or was a member of the United States Merchant Marine
        can apply to the secretary of state (SOS) to be issued a Merchant Marine special registration
        plate that displays an appropriate vignette before the registration numbers and has the words
        “Merchant Marine” inscribed beneath them.
                 Member of the United States Merchant Marine means an individual who holds a past
                 or present Merchant Mariner license or credential issued by the United States Coast
                 Guard.
        An application for a special registration plate under the bill must be on a form prescribed by
        the SOS, accompanied by any proof the SOS requires that the applicant is or was a member of
        the Merchant Marine. This proof is not required for plate renewals. The applicant does not have
        to pay a service fee under section 804 for either new or renewal plates. 1
        Upon proper application, the SOS must issue one or more special registration plates for each
        applicant for use on a passenger vehicle. An individual who is disabled and applies for a special
        registration plate must be issued a tab for persons with disabilities for their plate. 2 The SOS
        must require the same proof that the applicant is disabled as is required for issuance for a
        permanent windshield placard under section 675. 3 An individual issued one or more special
        registration plates must be assessed the applicable registration tax under section 801. 4
        The use of a special registration plate on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the plate is
        issued, or by a person who does not qualify for a plate, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine
        of up to $100 or imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both.
        The special registration plate expires on the vehicle owner’s birthday.
        The bill takes effect on the ninety-first day after the legislature adjourns to end the 2024
        session.
        MCL 257.803t
1
  http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-804
2
  http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-803h
3
  http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-675
4
  http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-801
House Fiscal Agency                                                                            Page 1 of 2
FISCAL IMPACT:
       The bill would result in costs to the Department of State of approximately $60,000 to produce
       a new vehicle registration plate. Start-up costs include costs associated with design, computer
       programming, and materials. The bill would not require a service fee when applying for the
       new plate. The Department of State would likely be able to absorb all administrative and plate
       production costs within its annual appropriated budget.
       The bill also would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local units of government, in that
       the number of misdemeanor convictions that would result under provisions of the bill is not
       known. New misdemeanor convictions would result in increased costs related to county jails
       or local misdemeanor probation supervision. Costs of local incarceration in county jails and
       local misdemeanor probation supervision, and how those costs are financed, vary by
       jurisdiction. The fiscal impact on local court systems would depend on how provisions of the
       bill affected court caseloads and related administrative costs. It is difficult to project the actual
       fiscal impact to courts due to variables such as law enforcement practices, prosecutorial
       practices, judicial discretion, case types, and complexity of cases. Any increase in penal fine
       revenue would increase funding for public and county law libraries, which are the
       constitutionally designated recipients of those revenues.
                                                            Legislative Analyst:     E. Best
                                                               Fiscal Analysts:      Michael Cnossen
                                                                                     Robin Risko
■ 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.
House Fiscal Agency                                                        HB 4723 as enacted    Page 2 of 2
Statutes affected: 
Substitute (S-2): 257.1, 257.923
House Introduced Bill: 257.1, 257.923
As Passed by the House: 257.1, 257.923
As Passed by the Senate: 257.1, 257.923
House Concurred Bill: 257.1, 257.923
Public Act: 257.1, 257.923
House Enrolled Bill: 257.1, 257.923