Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

MI PET ALLIANCE FUNDRAISING PLATE                                              S.B. 1184:
                                                         SUMMARY AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
Senate Bill 1184 (as passed by the Senate)
Sponsor: Senator Dayna Polehanki
Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure (discharged)
Date Completed: 12-27-24
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
 -- Require the Secretary of State (SOS) to develop a fundraising plate, in
    conjunction 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 on a quarterly basis
    to the MPA.
Specifically, the bill would require the SOS to develop under section 811e and issue under
section 811f a fundraising plate recognizing the need to address the overpopulation of the
State's companion animals and to support the humane care and health care of homeless and
abused animals in the State's shelters and rescues. The SOS, in conjunction with the MPA,
would have to design the fundraising plate.
(Section 811e of the Code prescribes a start-up fee for any new fundraising plate in an amount
equal to a three-year average of the cost to the SOS of developing a new plate, as calculated
by the SOS on January 1 of each year, and requires the fee to be deposited in the
Transportation Administration Collection Fund to be used for the cost of creating, producing,
and issuing fundraising plates. If the fee is not paid within 18 months after the effective date
of the public act that authorizes the development and issuance of a fundraising plate, the SOS
may not create, produce, or issue the related plate. The SOS may not develop or issue a 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 raised through the sale of
the plates and matching collector plates; and, if a fund is created, names the person or entity
responsible for administering it.
Section 811f authorizes the SOS to issue a fundraising plate instead of a standard registration
plate upon application, which must be accompanied by a $25 fund-raising donation, payment
of the regular vehicle registration tax prescribed in the Code, and a $10 service fee.
Section 811g allows the SOS to develop, market, promote, and sell a collector plate. The SOS
may do so only with funds available from the collection of service fees under the Code.)
The bill also would create the 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 interest and earnings from
Fund investments. Money in the Fund at the close of the fiscal year would have to remain in
the Fund and could not lapse to the General Fund. The State Treasurer would be the
administrator of the Fund for auditing purposes.
Page 1 of 2                                                                            sb1184/2324
The SOS would have to transfer the donation money from the sale of fundraising plates to
the State Treasurer, who would have to credit the donation money to the Fund. The State
Treasurer would have to disburse money in the Fund on a quarterly basis to the MPA.
Proposed MCL 257.811kk
BACKGROUND
According to its website, the MPA is a nonprofit membership association composed of
Michigan's animal welfare organizations. The MPA sets standards for its members; provides
training, education, and assistance; and advocates for changes in State law, regulations, and
local ordinances to support companion animal welfare.
                                                                                   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 Protecting
Michigan Pets 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 Protecting Michigan Pets 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 likely are already
paying the vehicle registration tax which would not be affected under this bill.
                                                                                         Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco, Jr.
 SAS\S2324\s1184sa
 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.
Page 2 of 2                            Bill Analysis @ www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa                                      sb1184/2324
Statutes affected: 
Senate Introduced Bill: 257.1, 257.923
As Passed by the Senate: 257.1, 257.923