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A pair of Republican lawmakers say there's no reason New Jersey residents need to pay to re-register their cars every year

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TRENTON -- If you've had your car for more than four years, you've gotten the notice in the mail: Time to renew your registration. And pay for it.

Now two state lawmakers think New Jersey drivers shouldn't have to go through that anymore.

State Assemblymen Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris) and Declan O'Scanlon (R-Monmouth) introduced legislation on Monday that would eliminate re-registration for passenger automobiles, motorcycles, and noncommercial trucks.

"If the car is registered, why does it need to be registered more than once? It looks to me like it's simply a fundraising mechanism," said Carroll. "I guess the state would just have to tighten its belt. Maybe they could save it all on postage stamps sending out those things."

O'Scanlon added that he previously introduced a bill that would also reduce the penalty for not having proof of registration when pulled over to just $20, instead of the current $176 -- if the car's registration is valid.

"Those two things, I think, would go a long way toward getting government off peoples' backs," he said. "That should be a goal of government, to get off our backs unless it absolutely needs to be on them."

Under the bill (A4541), drivers would still have to register their new cars at purchase, but it would remain valid until ownership changes hands.

New Jersey currently requires cars to be registered every year, with the exception of new cars, which are registered for four years upon purchase.

Fees for registering vehicles vary depending on the car's age and weight, ranging from $35.50 for antique cars built in 1970 or earlier that weigh less than 2,700 pounds, to $84 for new cars that weigh more than 3,800 pounds.

A 2012 Toyota Camry, for example, costs $46.50 annually to register.

The state budget for the coming fiscal year shows it anticipates $485 million in revenue from all motor vehicle fees. A spokeswoman for the MVC said vehicle registration funds go to a number of sources, including anti-pollution programs, medevac flights and Transportation Trust Fund.

"Certainly, there's nobody who's against making life more affordable for the people of New Jersey. And if you can safe people money in registration fees, that's a good thing," said Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), chairman of the lower house's transportation committee. "The question is: The money that's currently raised on an annual registration basis is currently being spent. It's disingenuous to offer a solution but not address a problem. If you're going to say we're not going to collect annual registration fees, how much is that going to cost the state budget?"

And Cathleen Lewis, director of public affairs and government relations for AAA New Jersey, said registration is "not just about mailing a form and paying a fee."

"First off, registration is one of the ways that we're able to determine how many cars are on the roadways, so that's important," she said. "So I don't think once and done makes a lot of sense."

The federal government requires states to annually report the number of cars registered to the Federal Highway Administration. And every state requires registration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Lewis said it would also make it more difficult to tell when a car changes hands. If a buyer doesn't register, she said, as far as the state knows it still belongs to the seller.

"At least now, you have yearly registration where if it doesn't get renewed we know something is off because the car is no longer in your name," she said.

Lewis said there is also a proposal in Congress to use car registrations to bolster notifications of auto recalls.

"It may not be immediate but there are things down the road that it could significantly influence," she said.

Carroll acknowledged the bill would mean less money for the state, but didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing.

"I guess the state would just have to tighten its belt. Maybe they could save it all on postage stamps sending out those (notices)," he said.

A spokesman for Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson), who decides which bills get posted for a vote, did not respond to a request for comment.

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Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.