BILL NUMBER: AB 2131	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 6, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 31, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 15, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Maienschein

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2016

   An act to add Section 5173 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
license plates, and making an appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2131, as amended, Maienschein. Specialized license plates.
   Existing law establishes a specialized license plate program and
requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialized
license plates on behalf of a sponsoring state agency that meets
certain requirements. Existing law requires that the department
charge specified additional fees for the issuance, renewal, or
transfer of specialized license plates, and requires the DMV to
deposit the fees, less the DMV's costs, into the Specialized License
Plate Fund. Existing law requires that moneys in the fund be
allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each sponsoring
agency in proportion to the amount that is attributable to the agency'
s specialized license plate program. Existing law requires the
sponsoring state agency to use these moneys exclusively to fund
projects and programs that promote the state agency's official
policy, mission, or work. Existing law establishes the Food Bank
Advisory Committee and requires the committee to advise the
Department of Food and Agriculture on the establishment of new food
banks and to advise on the adequate and efficient distribution of
surplus food commodities to all areas of the state.
   This bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to
apply to the DMV to sponsor an Imagine license plate bearing an image
of John Lennon  on a light-blue background with clouds
 and the word "Imagine" under the numerical series. The bill
would direct the DMV to deposit the additional revenue from these
license plates into the Imagine Account, which the bill would create.
The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the Imagine
Account to the Department of Food and Agriculture for allocation to
 the California Association of Food Banks and further
distribution   a nonprofit organization for the purpose
of funding grants  to local food banks. The bill would require
the  California Association of Food Banks  
Department of Food and Agriculture  to determine eligibility
requirements for food banks receiving the funds under the Imagine
program and to develop program specifics. The bill would authorize
the  California Association of Food Banks  
Department of Food and Agriculture  to contract with an entity,
including a nonprofit organization, to provide advice, consultation,
and administrative services for purposes of implementing and
administering the Imagine program.  The bill would require
the Department of California Highway Patrol to approve the design of
the Imagine specialized license plate prior to production, as
specified.   The bill would require the Department of
Food and Agriculture to provide oversight for the program and would
limit the nonprofit selected by the department from using more than 5
percent of the moneys received for its administrative costs. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 5173 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   5173.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the revenue
from the "Imagine" license plates issued pursuant to this section be
used to help  food banks  end hunger in California.
   (b) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall apply to the
department to sponsor the Imagine license plate program pursuant to
this article.
   (c) Except for environmental license plate fees, the fees
specified in Section 5157 shall be imposed for the issuance, renewal,
or transfer of the Imagine license plates. Imagine license plates
may be issued as environmental license plates with no additional fee.

   (d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 5157, after
deducting its administrative costs, the department shall deposit the
revenue derived from the additional fees into the Imagine Account,
which is hereby established in the Specialized License Plate Fund.
Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys in
the account are continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal
years to the Department of Food and Agriculture for the purposes
specified in this section. The Department of Food and Agriculture
shall allocate these funds to  the California Association of
Food Banks, which shall distribute the funds to local food banks,
  a nonprofit organization that has authorization to
utilize the image described in subdivision (e), for the sole and
exclusive purpose of funding food banks  in accordance with
paragraph (2), to help end hunger in California.
   (2) The  California Association of Food Banks 
 Department of Food and Agriculture  shall determine
eligibility requirements for food banks receiving funds through the
 Department of Food and Agriculture's  Imagine
program and develop program specifics. The  California
Association of Food Banks   Department of Food and
Agriculture  may contract with an entity, including a nonprofit
organization, to provide advice, consultation, and administrative
services for purposes of implementing and administering the 
Imagine   grant  program.  The Department of
Food and Agriculture shall provide oversight for the Imagine program.
 
   (3) The nonprofit organization selected by the Department of Food
and Agriculture shall not use more than 5 percent of the moneys
received pursuant to this section for administrative costs. 
   (e)  License plates issued pursuant to this section shall contain
 of a full-plate graphic of a light-blue sky with clouds and,
in the area described in Section 5155,  an image of a
 duly-licensed   duly licensed 
self-portrait of John  Lennon.   Lennon to the
left of the numerical series.  The license plates shall also
bear the word "Imagine" under the numerical series. The department
shall obtain the necessary consent from the persons described in
subdivision (c) of Section 3344.1 of the Civil Code. 
   (f) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall approve
the design of the Imagine specialized license plate for legibility,
reflectivity, and visibility prior to production.