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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
America250 specialty plates
Purpose
Establishes an America250 special plate and the America250 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. ADOT must issue
or renew special plates in lieu of regular license plates under specified
conditions and procedures. The fee for obtaining or renewing a special plate is
$25. Of the $25 fee, $8 is an administration fee that ADOT deposits in the
State Highway Fund (SHF) and $17 is a donation (A.R.S. §§ 28-2351;
28-2402;
and 28-2403).
All license plates, including special plates, that are designed or redesigned on or after September 24, 2022, must have: 1) the state name, Arizona, in capital letters in sans serif font and three-fourths of an inch in height; and 2) a background color that contrasts significantly with the color of the letters, numbers and state name (A.R.S. § 28-2351).
Laws 2022, Chapter 49 established the Arizona America250 Commission (America250) to plan, develop, encourage and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of the citizens of Arizona on the nation's past, present and future.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires ADOT to issue America250 special plates if by December 31, 2025, a person pays the $32,000 implementation fee.
2. Requires the person that pays the $32,000 implementation fee to design the America250 special plate.
3. Subjects the design and color of the America250 special plate to the approval of ADOT.
4. Allows the Director of ADOT (Director) to combine a request for an American250 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 America250 special plate and personalized special plate.
6. Specifies that, of the $25 fee required to obtain or renew an America250 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 American250 special plate donations to the Fund.
9. Requires the first $32,000 in the Fund to be reimbursed to the entity that paid the implementation fee.
10. Requires, through December 31, 2026, the Director to monthly allocate Fund monies to America250 to pay costs related to America250 projects and events.
11. Requires, on and after January 1, 2027, the Director to annually allocate Fund monies to the State Library Fund.
12. Caps, at 10 percent, the annual amount of Fund monies that may be used to administer the Fund.
13. Requires the State Treasurer, on notice from the Director, to invest and divest Fund monies and credit monies earned to the Fund.
14. Specifies that Fund monies are continuously appropriated.
15. Makes conforming changes.
16. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 17, 2025
KJA/NRG/mg