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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Crook

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/7/2007

HB 483

SHORT TITLE Severe Mobility Impairment License Plates

SB

ANALYST Schuss

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

FY09

($4,471.0)

($4,651.0) Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD)

Governor’s Commission on Disability (GCD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 483 would expand eligibility for special registration plates -- for motor vehicles and

for motorcycles for persons with severe mobility impairment as defined under the Motor Vehicle

Act. Eligibility would be expanded to include all of those who are currently eligible to receive a

handicapped-parking placard. Currently, eligibility for the special registration plate is limited to

those who have suffered the loss or loss of use of one or both legs and/or one or both arms.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

According to TRD, this bill would increase the number of persons eligible to receive the exemp-

tion from the motor vehicle excise tax (Section 7-14-6 (D) NMSA 1978). The fiscal impact es-

timate represents 3.4 percent of total motor vehicle excise tax collections projected for FY 2008

& 2009. Approximately 70,000 New Mexicans currently hold handicapped parking placards.

House Bill 483 – Page

2

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

TRD notes that the bill does not state whether the plate is a base or specialty design plate. To

meet the implementation date of July 1, 2007, the Motor Vehicle Division and the Governor’s

Commission on Disabilities need to coordinate to determine the plate configuration. Without

any startup appropriations and continuing funding, the Motor Vehicle Division will have to incur

the cost of plate production and distribution through existing and forecast budgets.

ALTERNATIVES

GCD states that the issuance of a new plate and placard on page 4, Section E, Lines 10 thru 17 of

this bill should be amended to read the same as SB277 which reads:

To replace the placards with new ones that include a picture on the inside of the placard

covered by a flap, a hologram to make duplication difficult and an imprinted expiration date; and

to continue issuance of the placard in the new format in consultation with the governor’s com-

mission on disability.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Is the intent of HB 483 to expand eligibility for special registration plates for motorcycles only.

BS/sb