AB 2253,
as amended, Grove. begin deleteSpecial interest end deletebegin insertSpecialized end insertlicense plates: In God Webegin delete Trust -- America, Inc.end deletebegin insert Trust.end insert
Existing law authorizes a state agency to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to sponsor a specialized license plate program and requires the DMV to issue those license plates if the sponsoring state agency meets certain requirements. Existing law requires the DMV to charge specified fees related to the issuance of those plates and to deposit the fees, less the DMV’s costs, in the Specialized License Plate Fund. Existing law requires that moneys in the fund be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the sponsoring agency in proportion to the amount that is attributable to the agency’s specialized license plate program. Existing law authorizes the sponsoring agency to use these moneys to fund projects and programs that promote the state agency’s official policy, mission, or work.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to apply to the DMV to sponsor an In God We Trust license plate program and would require the DMV to issue those specialized license plates for that program if the Department of Veterans Affairs satisfies certain requirements. Notwithstanding the above-described provisions regarding fees for specialized plates, the bill would require the additional fees for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of these specialized license plates to be deposited, after the DMV deducts its administrative costs, in a newly created fund, to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purpose of funding specified veterans programs.
end insertUnder existing law, an organization may apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for participation in a special interest license plate program, and the department is required to issue special interest license plates for that program if the issuance of those plates is required under these provisions and the sponsoring organization meets certain requirements, including, among others, collecting and submitting to the department at least 7,500 applications for the plates, as specified. Beginning January 1, 2007, existing law prohibits the department from accepting an application for participation in a special interest license plate program, and from issuing special interest license plates for a new program, under this procedure.
end deleteThis bill would state legislative findings and declarations relating to specialty license plate designs as government speech. This bill would require the department, notwithstanding the above provision that prohibits the department from accepting an application from an organization and from issuing special interest license plates for a new program, to design and make available for issuance special interest license plates, in consultation with In God We Trust -- America, Inc. This bill would require the payment of certain fees for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the special interest license plates authorized pursuant to this provision, in addition to the regular fees for an original registration or renewal of registration.
end deleteVote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
begin insertSection 5163.5 is added to the end insertbegin insertVehicle Codeend insertbegin insert, to
2read:end insert
(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall apply
4to the Department of Motor Vehicles, pursuant to Section 5156,
5to sponsor an In God We Trust license plate program. The
P3 1Department of Motor Vehicles shall issue specialized license plates
2for that program if the Department of Veterans Affairs complies
3with the requirements of this article.
4
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 5157, the
5additional fees prescribed by Section 5157 for the issuance,
6renewal, or transfer of the specialized license plates shall be
7deposited, after the Department of Motor Vehicles deducts its
8administrative costs, in the Veterans Housing and Homelessness
9Prevention Fund, which is hereby established in the State Treasury.
10The funds in the account shall be
used, upon appropriation by the
11Legislature to the Department of Veterans Affairs, to support the
12Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program and the
13development of affordable services for veterans.
The Legislature finds and declares that a specialty
15license plate design constitutes government speech, pursuant to
16the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Walker v. Texas
17Div., Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc. (2015) 135 S.Ct. 2239,
18and the Legislature’s consideration of this act does not implicate
19the free speech rights of private persons.
Section 5076 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
(a) Notwithstanding Section 5060.1, the department, in
22consultation with In God We Trust -- America, Inc., shall design
23and make available for issuance, pursuant to this article, special
24interest license plates.
25(b) In addition to the regular fees for an original registration or
26renewal of registration, the following additional fees shall be paid
27for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the special interest license
28plates authorized pursuant to this section:
29(1) For the original issuance of the plates, fifty dollars ($50).
30(2) For a renewal of registration with the plates, forty dollars
31($40).
32(3) For transfer of the plates to another vehicle, fifteen dollars
33($15).
34(4) For each substitute replacement plate, thirty-five dollars
35($35).
36(5) In addition, for the issuance of environmental license plates,
37as defined in Section 5103, the additional fees prescribed in
38Sections 5106 and 5108. The additional fees prescribed in Sections
P4 15106 and 5108 shall be deposited in the California Environmental
2License Plate Fund.
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