To amend sections 901.04, 4503.77, and 4503.78 and to enact sections 901.90, 4503.503, and 4503.504 of the Revised Code to establish a threshold of 500 annual special license plate registrations for all special license plates, to create "Ohio Agriculture" license plates and to create the Ohio Agriculture License Plate Scholarship Program, and to create "Ohio Sustainable Agriculture" license plates.

Section 1. That sections 901.04, 4503.77, and 4503.78 be amended and sections 901.90, 4503.503, and 4503.504 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 901.04.  (A) The department of agriculture may solicit or accept from any public or private source and shall deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the agro Ohio fund any grant, gift, devise, or bequest of money made to or for the use of the department in fulfilling its statutory duties or for promoting any part of the public welfare that is under the supervision and control of the department. The department may also accept and hold on behalf of this state any grant, gift, devise, or bequest of other property made to or for the use of the department or for promoting any part of the public welfare that is under the supervision and control of the department. The department may contract for and carry out the terms and conditions of any devise, grant, gift, or donation that may be so made.

(B) There is hereby created in the state treasury the agro Ohio fund, to which shall be credited all sums received under division (A) of this section and, divisions (A)(2) and (C) of section 2105.09 of the Revised Code, and section 4503.504 of the Revised Code. All money received under divisions (A)(2) and (C) of section 2105.09 of the Revised Code shall be used for the benefit of agriculture. All money received under section 4503.504 of the Revised Code shall be used for the benefit of sustainable agriculture markets in the state as determined by the director of agriculture.

(C) The director may use all or any portion of the moneys in the agro Ohio fund to award grants for the purpose of promoting agriculture in this state. With respect to such grants that consist of moneys other than federal moneys, the director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing all of the following:

(1) Specific purposes for which grants may be awarded;

(2) Procedures for soliciting grant applications, applying for grants, awarding grants, and otherwise administering grants;

(3) Eligibility criteria for receiving grants that must be satisfied by applicants for the grants;

(4) Any other procedures and requirements that are necessary to administer a grant program.

(D) Federal moneys deposited into the agro Ohio fund shall be used in accordance with any terms that federal law prescribes for their use.

Sec. 901.90. (A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio agriculture license plate scholarship fund consisting of the contributions the registrar of motor vehicles receives pursuant to section 4503.503 of the Revised Code. Money shall be expended from the fund only as provided in division (C) of this section.

(B)(1) There is hereby created the Ohio agriculture license plate scholarship fund board, consisting of the director of agriculture or the director's designee and one representative appointed by each of the following organizations:

(a) The Ohio agriculture council;

(b) The Ohio corngrowers association;

(c) The Ohio farm bureau federation;

(d) The Ohio soy association;

(e) The Ohio state university college of food, agricultural, and environmental sciences;

(f) The Ohio young farmers association.

(2) All original appointments to the board shall be made not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section, and all vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for the actual expenses they incur in performing their duties. The director of agriculture or the director's designee shall serve as chairperson. The board shall adopt rules governing their meetings and proceedings.

(C) There is hereby established the Ohio agriculture license plate scholarship program to benefit students who attend an institution of higher learning located in this state and are enrolled in a program that is related to agriculture. The board shall adopt rules governing all aspects of the program, including any additional eligibility requirements, the application process, scholarship amounts, and any requirements a student must meet in order to retain a scholarship.

All decisions of the board relating to the scholarship program, including the decision to award, renew, not renew, or revoke a scholarship, are final.

Sec. 4503.503. (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 "Ohio agriculture" license plates. The application for "Ohio agriculture" license plates 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 with division (B) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of "Ohio agriculture" license plates with 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 thereon, "Ohio agriculture" license plates shall be inscribed with words and markings selected and designed by the Ohio farm bureau federation, in consultation with representatives of agricultural commodity organizations of this state. The registrar shall approve the final design. "Ohio agriculture" license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(B) "Ohio agriculture" license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, any applicable fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, a bureau of motor vehicles administrative fee of ten dollars, the contribution specified under division (C) of this section, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(C) For each application for registration and registration renewal received under this section, the registrar shall collect a contribution of twenty dollars. The registrar shall transmit this contribution to the treasurer of state for deposit in the Ohio agriculture license plate scholarship fund created in section 901.90 of the Revised Code.

(D) The registrar shall deposit the bureau administrative fee of ten dollars specified in division (B) of this section, the purpose of which is to compensate the bureau for the additional services required in the issuing of the applicant's "Ohio agriculture" license plates, into the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created in section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.504.  (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 "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates. The application for "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates 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 with division (B) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates with 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 thereon, "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates shall be inscribed with words and markings selected and designed by the department of agriculture. The registrar shall approve the final design. "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(B) "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, any applicable fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, a bureau of motor vehicles administrative fee of ten dollars, the contribution specified under division (C) of this section, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(C) For each application for registration and registration renewal received under this section, the registrar shall collect a contribution of twenty dollars. The registrar shall transmit this contribution to the treasurer of state for deposit in the agro Ohio fund created in section 901.04 of the Revised Code.

(D) The registrar shall deposit the bureau administrative fee of ten dollars specified in division (B) of this section, the purpose of which is to compensate the bureau for the additional services required in the issuing of the applicant's "Ohio sustainable agriculture" license plates, into the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created in section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.77.  (A) As used in this section, "nonstandard:

(1) "Nonstandard license plate" means all of the following:

(1)(a) A license plate issued under sections 4503.52, 4503.55, 4503.56, 4503.57, 4503.70, 4503.71, 4503.72, and 4503.75 of the Revised Code;

(2)(b) A license plate issued under a program that is reestablished under division (D) of this section and that meets the requirements contained in division (B) of section 4503.78 of the Revised Code;

(3)(c) Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by law, any license plate created after the effective date of this section August 21, 1997.

(2) For purposes of license plates issued under sections 4503.503 and 4503.504 of the Revised Code, "sponsor" includes the Ohio agriculture license plate scholarship fund board created in section 901.90 of the Revised Code and the director of agriculture.

(B)(1) If, during any calendar year commencing with 1998, the total number of motor vehicle registrations involving a particular type of nonstandard license plate is less than one thousand five hundred, including both new registrations and registration renewals, the registrar of motor vehicles, on or after the first day of January, but not later than the fifteenth day of January of the following year, shall send a written notice to the sponsor of that type of nonstandard license plate, if a sponsor exists, informing the sponsor of this fact. The registrar also shall inform the sponsor that if, during the calendar year in which the written notice is sent, the total number of motor vehicle registrations involving the sponsor's nonstandard license plate again is less than one thousand five hundred, the program involving that type of nonstandard license plate will be terminated on the thirty-first day of December of the calendar year in which the written notice is sent and, except as provided in division (C) of this section, no motor vehicle registration application involving either the actual issuance of that type of nonstandard license plate or the registration renewal of a motor vehicle displaying that type of nonstandard license plate will be accepted by the registrar or a deputy registrar beginning the first day of January of the next calendar year. The registrar also shall inform the sponsor that if the program involving the sponsor's nonstandard license plate is terminated under this section, it may be reestablished pursuant to division (D) of this section.

(2) If, during any calendar year commencing with 1998, the total number of motor vehicle registrations involving a particular type of nonstandard license plate is less than one thousand five hundred, including both new registrations and registration renewals, and no sponsor exists for that license plate, the registrar shall issue a public notice on or after the first day of January, but not later than the fifteenth day of January of the following year, stating that fact. The notice also shall inform the public that if, during the calendar year in which the registrar issues the public notice, the total number of motor vehicle registrations for that type of nonstandard license plate, including both new registrations and registration renewals, again is less than one thousand five hundred, the program involving that type of nonstandard license plate will be terminated on the thirty-first day of December of the calendar year in which the registrar issues the public notice and, except as provided in division (C) of this section, no motor vehicle registration application involving either the actual issuance of that type of nonstandard license plate or the registration renewal of a motor vehicle displaying that type of nonstandard license plate will be accepted by the registrar or a deputy registrar beginning on the first day of January of the next calendar year.

(C) If the program involving a type of nonstandard license plate is terminated under division (B) of this section, the registration of any motor vehicle displaying that type of nonstandard license plate at the time of termination may be renewed so long as the nonstandard license plates remain serviceable. If the nonstandard license plates of such a motor vehicle become unfit for service, the owner of the motor vehicle may apply for the issuance of nonstandard license plates of that same type, but the registrar or deputy registrar shall issue such nonstandard license plates only if at the time of application the stock of the bureau contains license plates of that type of nonstandard license plate. If, at the time of such application, the stock of the bureau does not contain license plates of that type of nonstandard license plate, the registrar or deputy registrar shall inform the owner of that fact, and the application shall be refused.

If the program involving a type of nonstandard license plate is terminated under division (B) of this section and the registration of motor vehicles displaying such license plates continues as permitted by this division, the registrar, for as long as such registrations continue to be issued, shall continue to collect and distribute any contribution that was required to be collected and distributed prior to the termination of that program.

(D) If the program involving a nonstandard license plate is terminated under division (B)(1) of this section, the sponsor of that license plate may apply to the registrar for the reestablishment of the program. If the program involving that nonstandard license plate is reestablished, the reestablishment is subject to division (B) of section 4503.78 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.78.  (A) Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by law, after the effective date of this section, the registrar of motor vehicles shall not be required to implement any legislation that creates a license plate and provides for its issuance until the registrar receives written statements from not less than one thousand five hundred persons, indicating that they intend to apply for and obtain such license plates for their motor vehicles. The registrar may require such statements to be made on a form the registrar provides.

(B) If a program involving a nonstandard license plate is terminated under division (B)(1) of section 4503.77 of the Revised Code, the sponsor of that license plate may apply to the registrar for the reestablishment of that program, as permitted by division (D) of that section. The registrar shall not reestablish the program involving that nonstandard license plate until the registrar receives written statements from not less than one thousand five hundred persons, indicating that they intend to apply for and obtain such license plates for their motor vehicles. The registrar may require such statements to be made on a form approved by the registrar.

In determining whether one thousand five hundred persons have so indicated their intentions, the registrar shall include in the total the number of motor vehicles that continue to display the nonstandard license plate of the terminated program, as permitted by division (C) of section 4503.77 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing sections 901.04, 4503.77, and 4503.78 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.