To amend sections 4501.21 and 4503.105 and to enact section 4503.493 of the Revised Code to establish an autism awareness license plate and to provide that money from the contributions for the license plates be used to pay for programs and awareness efforts of the Autism Society of Ohio.

SECTION 1. That sections 4501.21 and 4503.105 be amended and section 4503.493 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4501.21.  (A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the license plate contribution fund. The fund shall consist of all contributions paid by motor vehicle registrants and collected by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to sections 4503.491, 4503.493, 4503.50, 4503.501, 4503.502, 4503.51, 4503.522, 4503.545, 4503.55, 4503.551, 4503.552, 4503.561, 4503.562, 4503.591, 4503.67, 4503.68, 4503.69, 4503.71, 4503.711, 4503.72, 4503.73, 4503.74, and 4503.75 of the Revised Code.

(B) The registrar shall disburse pay the contributions the registrar collects in the fund as follows:

(1) The registrar shall pay the contributions received pursuant to section 4503.491 of the Revised Code to the breast cancer fund of Ohio, which shall use that money only to pay for programs that provide assistance and education to Ohio breast cancer patients and that improve access for such patients to quality health care and clinical trials and shall not use any of the money for abortion information, counseling, services, or other abortion-related activities.

(2) The registrar shall pay the contributions received pursuant to section 4503.493 of the Revised Code to the autism society of Ohio, which shall use the contributions for programs and autism awareness efforts throughout the state.

(3) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.50 of the Revised Code to the future farmers of America foundation, which shall deposit the contributions into its general account to be used for educational and scholarship purposes of the future farmers of America foundation.

(3)(4) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.501 of the Revised Code to the 4-H youth development program of the Ohio state university extension program, which shall use those contributions to pay the expenses it incurs in conducting its educational activities.

(4)(5) The registrar shall pay the contributions received pursuant to section 4503.502 of the Revised Code to the Ohio cattlemen's foundation, which shall use those contributions for scholarships and other educational activities.

(5)(6) The registrar shall pay each contribution the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.51 of the Revised Code to the university or college whose name or marking or design appears on collegiate license plates that are issued to a person under that section. A university or college that receives contributions from the fund shall deposit the contributions into its general scholarship fund.

(6)(7) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.522 of the Revised Code to the "friends of Perry's victory and international peace memorial, incorporated," a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of this state, to assist that organization in paying the expenses it incurs in sponsoring or holding charitable, educational, and cultural events at the monument.

(7)(8) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.55 of the Revised Code to the pro football hall of fame, which shall deposit the contributions into a special bank account that it establishes and which shall be separate and distinct from any other account the pro football hall of fame maintains, to be used exclusively for the purpose of promoting the pro football hall of fame as a travel destination.

(8)(9) The registrar shall pay the contributions that are paid to the registrar pursuant to section 4503.545 of the Revised Code to the national rifle association foundation, which shall use the money to pay the costs of the educational activities and programs the foundation holds or sponsors in this state.

(9)(10) In accordance with section 955.202 of the Revised Code, the registrar shall pay to the pets program funding board created by that section the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.551 of the Revised Code and any other money from any other source, including donations, gifts, and grants, that is designated by the source to be paid to the pets program funding board. The board shall use the moneys it receives under this section only to support programs for the sterilization of dogs and cats and for educational programs concerning the proper veterinary care of those animals.

(10)(11) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.552 of the Revised Code to the rock and roll hall of fame and museum, incorporated.

(11)(12) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.561 of the Revised Code to the state of Ohio chapter of ducks unlimited, inc., which shall deposit the contributions into a special bank account that it establishes. The special bank account shall be separate and distinct from any other account the state of Ohio chapter of ducks unlimited, inc., maintains and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of protecting, enhancing, restoring, and managing wetlands and conserving wildlife habitat. The state of Ohio chapter of ducks unlimited, inc., annually shall notify the registrar in writing of the name, address, and account to which payments are to be made under division (B)(11)(12) of this section.

(12)(13) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.562 of the Revised Code to the Mahoning river consortium, which shall use the money to pay the expenses it incurs in restoring and maintaining the Mahoning river watershed.

(13)(14)(a) The registrar shall pay to a sports commission created pursuant to section 4503.591 of the Revised Code each contribution the registrar receives under that section that an applicant pays to obtain license plates that bear the logo of a professional sports team located in the county of that sports commission and that is participating in the license plate program pursuant to division (E) of that section, irrespective of the county of residence of an applicant.

(b) The registrar shall pay to a community charity each contribution the registrar receives under section 4503.591 of the Revised Code that an applicant pays to obtain license plates that bear the logo of a professional sports team that is participating in the license plate program pursuant to division (G) of that section.

(14)(15) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.67 of the Revised Code to the Dan Beard council of the boy scouts of America. The council shall distribute all contributions in an equitable manner throughout the state to regional councils of the boy scouts.

(15)(16) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.68 of the Revised Code to the great river council of the girl scouts of the United States of America. The council shall distribute all contributions in an equitable manner throughout the state to regional councils of the girl scouts.

(16)(17) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.69 of the Revised Code to the Dan Beard council of the boy scouts of America. The council shall distribute all contributions in an equitable manner throughout the state to regional councils of the boy scouts.

(17)(18) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.71 of the Revised Code to the fraternal order of police of Ohio, incorporated, which shall deposit the fees into its general account to be used for purposes of the fraternal order of police of Ohio, incorporated.

(18)(19) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.711 of the Revised Code to the fraternal order of police of Ohio, incorporated, which shall deposit the contributions into an account that it creates to be used for the purpose of advancing and protecting the law enforcement profession, promoting improved law enforcement methods, and teaching respect for law and order.

(19)(20) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.72 of the Revised Code to the organization known on March 31, 2003, as the Ohio CASA/GAL association, a private, nonprofit corporation organized under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code. The Ohio CASA/GAL association shall use these contributions to pay the expenses it incurs in administering a program to secure the proper representation in the courts of this state of abused, neglected, and dependent children, and for the training and supervision of persons participating in that program.

(20)(21) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.73 of the Revised Code to Wright B. Flyer, incorporated, which shall deposit the contributions into its general account to be used for purposes of Wright B. Flyer, incorporated.

(21)(22) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.74 of the Revised Code to the Columbus zoological park association, which shall disburse the moneys to Ohio's major metropolitan zoos, as defined in section 4503.74 of the Revised Code, in accordance with a written agreement entered into by the major metropolitan zoos.

(22)(23) The registrar shall pay the contributions the registrar receives pursuant to section 4503.75 of the Revised Code to the rotary foundation, located on March 31, 2003, in Evanston, Illinois, to be placed in a fund known as the permanent fund and used to endow educational and humanitarian programs of the rotary foundation.

(C) All investment earnings of the license plate contribution fund shall be credited to the fund. Not later than the first day of May of every year, the registrar shall distribute to each entity described in divisions (B)(1) to (22)(23) of this section the investment income the fund earned the previous calendar year. The amount of such a distribution paid to an entity shall be proportionate to the amount of money the entity received from the fund during the previous calendar year.

Sec. 4503.105. (A) A motor vehicle renting dealer may charge each vehicle renter a separate vehicle license fee to recover the dealer's cost related to the annual vehicle registration, license plates, and title fees imposed upon vehicles in the dealer's fleet under Title XLV of the Revised Code. Any dealer who separately charges a vehicle license fee shall do all of the following:

(1) Make a good faith estimate of the average per rental day per vehicle portion of the dealer's total annual registration, license plates, and title fees paid in this state for its rental fleet during the calendar year;

(2) Separately itemize and charge the vehicle license fee in the rental agreement between the dealer and a renter, and specifically describe the vehicle license fee in the rental agreement as the estimated average per rental day per vehicle portion of the dealer's total annual registration, license plates, and title fees;

(3) In any advertisement made in this state that describes vehicle rental rates for vehicles available for rent in this state, include a statement that the renter is required to pay the vehicle license fee and disclose the maximum daily charge for the vehicle license fee.

(B) Any dealer who separately charges a vehicle license fee shall not charge, collect, or retain any amount in excess of the actual average per rental day per vehicle portion of the dealer's total annual registration, license plates, and title fees paid in this state for its rental fleet during the calendar year. If a dealer recovers the dealer's actual costs related to the annual vehicle registration, license plates, and title fees, the dealer shall cease to itemize and charge such costs in any rental agreement during that calendar year.

(C) As used in this section, "motor vehicle renting dealer" has the same meaning as in section 4549.65 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.493. (A) The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles may apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and issuance of autism awareness license plates. An application made under this section may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance by the applicant with divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of autism awareness license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, autism awareness license plates shall be inscribed with identifying words or markings that are designed by the autism society of Ohio and approved by the registrar. Autism awareness license plates shall display county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(B) The autism awareness license plates and a validation sticker, or validation sticker alone, shall be issued upon receipt of a contribution as provided in division (C)(1) of this section and upon payment of the regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, a fee of ten dollars for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of autism awareness license plates, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(C)(1) For each application for registration and registration renewal notice the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall collect a contribution of twenty-five dollars. The registrar shall deposit this contribution into the state treasury to the credit of the license plate contribution fund created in section 4501.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) The registrar shall deposit the additional fee of ten dollars paid to compensate the bureau for the additional services required in the issuing of autism awareness license plates into the state treasury to the credit of the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created by section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 4501.21 and 4503.105 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.