Murphy pitches 'one-year fee holiday.' Here are the payments that would be waived
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a “one-year fee holiday" during his budget address Tuesday that would save some residents money by eliminating various state payments.
For one year, New Jerseyans would save on some of the fees they pay at the Motor Vehicle Commission, to get married or even to visit state parks. Murphy said the waived fees would include:
driver's license renewals
marriage licenses
entry to state parks
health care professional licenses
Murphy's 2023 budget proposes no new taxes or fees. The fees would be waived during fiscal year 2023, which runs from July 1, 2022, through June 2023, and would cost the state about $60 million in lost revenues.
State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said waiving fees for health care professionals newly applying for or renewing their licenses would have an estimated budget impact of $13 million. Waiving the $24 license renewal fee for about 1.75 million drivers would cost roughly $42 million.
Eliminating payment for the more than 260,000 expected entries into state parks would have a revenue impact of $2.7 million.
The marriage license fees, she said, would need an appropriation to offset the lost fees, an estimated $1.1 million in Schedule 1 revenues, for roughly 54,000 licenses.
What's in Murphy's 2023 budget?: Here are the highlights from his address
The "one-year fee holiday" would also waive fees for about 130,000 health care professionals including professional and practical nurses, advanced practice nurses, home health aides and respiratory care practitioners applying for and renewing their licenses, according to senior administration officials.
“So it seems to me it’s good advice in this next fiscal year to jump in a car, drive to a state park and marry a health care professional,” Murphy said during his speech.
Local news: What will happen to massive Nabisco letters? Fair Lawn's determined to save them
The $48.9 billion budget must be approved by the Democratic-led Legislature, so spending details and the final figure are likely to change by the end of the current fiscal year, which is June 30.
Katie Sobko is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. For unlimited access to her work covering New Jersey’s governor and political power structure, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: sobko@northjersey.com
Twitter: @katesobko
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: These NJ fees would be waived under proposed 'one-year fee holiday'
