Creates a "stop prostate cancer" distinctive license plate program and applies revenues to the prostate and testicular cancer research and education fund

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the state finance law, in relation to creating the "stop prostate cancer" distinctive license plate program and applying the revenues raised from the new program to the purposes of the prostate and testicular cancer research and education fund

Purpose

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, excluding skin cancers, in American men. By permitting the issuance of license plates with the phrase "stop prostate cancer," this legislation would not only raise awareness of the disease, but also increase funding for needed prostate cancer research.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: (1) adds a new section 404-x to the Vehicle and Traffic Law, which would permit a person to be issued a distinctive license plate bearing the phrase "stop prostate cancer" in support of prostate cancer and testicular cancer research. Application shall be filed with the commissioner in form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe.

(2) annual service charge of $25 will be charged for these distinctive license plates. $20 of the $25 received as the annual service charge shall be deposited to the credit of the "prostate and testicular cancer research and education fund" established pursuant to section 97-ccc of the state Finance Law and shall be used for purposes of the fund. After one year, funds in the amount of $7,500 or so much as may be available, shall be allocated to the Department of Motor Vehicles to offset costs associated with the production of such license plates.

Section 2: amends 97-ccc (2) of the state Finance Law, which establishes the prostate and testicular cancer research and education fund. Provides that all revenues generated from the issuance of the distinctive license plates are received by this fund and used for scientific research or educational projects into the causes, treatment and prevention of prostate and testicular cancer upon the recommendation of the health research science board.

Existing law

None relative to distinctive license plates.

Justification

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men, excluding skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, after lung cancer. In 2003, an estimated 220,900 men in the United States were diagnosed with prostate cancer and an estimated 28,900 men died of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. The incidence rates of prostate cancer have nearly doubled from rates 20 years ago. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 232,090 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2005. About 30,350 men will die of this disease. While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 man in 33 will die of this disease. The death rate for prostate cancer is going down. And the disease is being found earlier as well.

As with any cancer, the key to survival is early detection and treatment. Therefore, additional funding is needed to finance campaigns to increase the awareness of the need to be checked for prostate cancer and the dangers associated with the disease as well as the research into new treatments. This legislation would not only increase awareness of the disease by advertising the need to address

prostate cancer on individual's license plates, but also raise money to fund needed research of the disease.

Legislative history

2007-2008 - Finance

Fiscal implications

None; the State will be reimbursed for the cost of making the license plates.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.