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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
VETOED
religious educational institution; special plates
Purpose
Establishes a religious educational institution special plate and the Religious Educational Institution 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 must 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.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires ADOT to issue a religious educational institution special plate if, by December 31, 2024, a person pays the $32,000 implementation fee.
2. Requires the person that pays the $32,000 implementation fee to design the religious educational institution special plate.
3. Subjects the design and color of the religious educational institution special plate to the approval of ADOT.
4. Allows the Director of ADOT (Director) to combine a request for a religious educational institution special plate with a request for a personalized special plate.
5. Specifies that a combined request must be submitted in a form prescribed by the Director and is subject to the fees for both the religious educational institution special plate and personalized special plate.
6. Specifies that, of the $25 fee required to obtain or renew a religious educational institution special plate, $8 is an administration fee and $17 is an annual donation.
7. Establishes the Fund which is to be administered by the Director.
8. Requires ADOT to deposit all special plate administration fees in the SHF and transmit the religious educational institution special plate donations to the Fund.
9. Requires the first $32,000 in the Fund to be reimbursed to the person that paid the implementation fee.
10. Requires the Director to annually allocate Fund monies to an entity that is a 501(c)(3) organization that has financial oversight of an institution of higher learning's alumni chapters in Arizona.
11. Allows the prescribed entity to use Fund monies only for:
a) alumni programs in Arizona; and
b) scholarships and replenishment grants for students who are state residents and who are attending an institution of higher learning.
12. Stipulates that the institution of higher learning must have a campus in:
a) Provo, Utah;
b) Laie, Hawaii; and
c) Rexburg, Idaho.
13. Caps, at 10 percent, the annual amount of Fund monies that may be used to administer the Fund.
14. Requires, on notice from the Director, the State Treasurer to invest and divest Fund monies and credit monies earned to the Fund.
15. Specifies that Fund monies are continuously appropriated.
16. Makes technical and conforming changes.
17. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Governor's Veto Message
The Governor indicates in her veto message that H.B. 2271 establishes a special plate that benefits an out-of-state private educational institution using public resources and that it is not the best use of Arizona taxpayers' money.
House Action Senate Action
TI 2/14/24 DP 9-2-0-0 TTMC 3/11/24 DP 5-1-1
3rd Read 2/22/24 31-28-0-0-1 3rd Read 3/27/24 16-12-2
Vetoed by the Governor 4/2/24
Prepared by Senate Research
April 3, 2024
KJA/EB/slp