S.B. 28

128th General Assembly

(As Introduced)

Sens.     Schaffer, Turner, Hughes, D. Miller

BILL SUMMARY

· Creates Ohio Nature Preserves license plates to provide funds to the Department of Natural Resources to help finance nature preserve education, nature preserve clean-up projects, and nature preserve maintenance, protection, and restoration.

· Creates in the state treasury the Ohio Nature Preserves Fund consisting of contributions paid to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles by applicants who obtain Ohio Nature Preserves license plates, and requires the Department to use money in the Fund for the above purposes.

CONTENT AND OPERATION

Under the bill, 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 for the issuance of Ohio Nature Preserves license plates.  The application may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate provided in current law.  Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance with the bill's requirements, the Registrar is required to issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of Ohio Nature Preserves license plates and a validation sticker or a validation sticker alone when required by current law.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, Ohio Nature Preserves license plates must be inscribed with identifying words or markings designed by the Department of Natural Resources and approved by the Registrar.  The license plates must bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.  (R.C. 4503.563(A).)

Ohio Nature Preserves license plates and validation stickers are to be issued upon receipt of a contribution in an amount up to $40 as determined by the Department of Natural Resources, payment of the regular license tax, any applicable local motor vehicle license tax, any applicable additional special reserved license plate fee, and an additional $10 BMV administrative fee, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to motor vehicle registration (R.C. 4503.563(B) and (C)).

The Registrar must collect the contribution and the $10 BMV fee for every new and renewal registration application received under the bill.  The contribution must be transmitted to the Treasurer of State for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio Nature Preserves Fund created by the bill.  The Fund is to consist of those contributions, as well as its investment earnings on the Fund.  The Department is required to use the money in the Fund to help finance nature preserve education, nature preserve clean-up projects, and nature preserve maintenance, protection, and restoration.  (R.C. 4501.243 and 4503.563(C).)

The additional $10 BMV fee is to compensate the Bureau for additional services required in connection with the issuance of Ohio Nature Preserves license plates.  The Registrar must deposit all such fees into the state treasury to the credit of the existing State Bureau of Motor Vehicles Fund (R.C. 4503.563(C).)

HISTORY

ACTION	DATE
Introduced	02-10-09

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