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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
wishes; critically ill children; plates
Purpose
Requires all special plates to have a standardized symbol in the same location on every plate, beginning January 1, 2024. Establishes wishes for children with critical illnesses special plates and the Wishes for Children with Critical Illnesses Special Plate Fund (Fund).
Background
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Motor Vehicle Division provides one license plate to every motor vehicle owner for each vehicle registered (A.R.S. § 28-2351). ADOT is required to issue or renew special plates in lieu of regular license plates under specified conditions and procedures (A.R.S. § 28-2403). The fee for obtaining or renewing a special plate is $25 (A.R.S. § 28-2402). Of the $25 fee, $8 is an administration fee that ADOT deposits in the State Highway Fund (SHF) and $17 is a donation to the respective organization or charitable fund. ADOT currently offers over 70 special plates.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires all special plates, beginning January 1, 2024, and regardless of the authorization date of the special plate, to have a standardized symbol that is designed by ADOT and is placed in the same location on every plate.
2. Requires the standardized symbol to indicate that the special plate is from Arizona.
3. Requires ADOT to issue wishes for children with critical illnesses special plates if, by December 31, 2021, a $32,000 implementation fee is paid.
4. Requires the person who provides the $32,000 to design the wishes for children with critical illnesses special plates in consultation with law enforcement, subject to approval by ADOT.
5. Allows the Director of ADOT (Director) to combine requests for wishes for children with critical illnesses special plates with personalized special plates.
6. Specifies that a combined request is required to be submitted on a form prescribed by the Director and is subject to fees for both the wishes for children with critical illnesses special plate and personalized special plate.
7. Specifies that, of the $25 fee required to obtain or renew a wishes for children with critical illnesses special plate, $8 is an administration fee and $17 is an annual donation.
8. Establishes the Fund which is to be administered by the Director.
9. Requires ADOT to deposit all wishes for children with critical illnesses special plate administration fees into the SHF and all remaining monies into the Fund.
10. Requires the first $32,000 in the Fund to be reimbursed to the person who paid the initial implementation fee.
11. Prohibits more than 10 percent of monies in the Fund from being used for administration costs.
12. Requires the Director to annually distribute all monies in the Fund, excluding administrative fees, to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization that meets outlined requirements.
13. Requires the State Treasurer to invest and divest monies from the Fund on notice from the Director, with proceeds being credited to the Fund.
14. Specifies that monies in the Fund are continuously appropriated.
15. Exempts monies in the Fund from lapsing.
16. Makes technical and conforming changes.
17. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
TRANS 1/20/21 DP 10-1-0-1
3rd Read 2/10/21 51-8-0-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2021
ZD/SS/kja