Bill Text: CA SB257 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Vehicles: Gold Star Family license plates.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From Assembly without further action. [SB257 Detail]
Download: California-2015-SB257-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 257 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 17, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 2, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 6, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Bates
(Coauthor: Senator Lara)
FEBRUARY 18, 2015
An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 5157 of the Vehicle Code,
relating to license plates.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 257, as amended, Bates. Vehicles: Gold Star Family license
plates.
Existing law establishes a specialized license plate program under
which the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues specialized
license plates on behalf of a sponsoring state agency that meets
certain requirements. Existing law authorizes the Department of
Veterans Affairs to sponsor a Gold Star Family specialized license
plate program, which allows specified persons to apply for Gold Star
Family license plates. Existing law requires that Gold Star Family
license plates be issued in a sequential series. Existing law
imposes additional fees for the issuance and renewal of specialized
license plates, but exempts Gold Star Family license plates from
these fees. Existing law also requires an applicant
to pay specified environmental fees when applying for a specialized
environmental license plate. plate, and
directs the DMV to deposit this revenue in the California
Environmental License Plate Fund.
This bill would, commencing July 1, 2016, authorize
January 1, 2017, require the DMV to issue
personalized Gold Star Family license plates
as environmental license plates if the requester pays
a $48 personalization fee and specified the
above-described environmental license plate fees
and specialized license plate fees . The bill would direct
the revenue generated from the personalization fee and
the environmental license plate fees to be
deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account within the State
Transportation Fund until the DMV's upfront cost of implementing this
program is covered. The bill would then direct the
this revenue generated from the
personalization fee and the environmental fees to be
deposited into the Veterans Service Office Fund.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 5157 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
5157. (a) In addition to the regular fees for an original
registration or renewal of registration, the following additional
fees shall be paid for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the
specialized license plates:
(1) For the original issuance of the plates, fifty dollars ($50).
(2) For a renewal of registration with the plates, forty dollars
($40).
(3) For transfer of the plates to another vehicle, fifteen dollars
($15).
(4) For each substitute replacement plate, thirty-five dollars
($35).
(5) In addition, for the issuance of environmental license plates,
as defined in Section 5103, with a specialized license plate design,
the additional fees prescribed in Sections 5106 and 5108. The
additional fees prescribed in Sections 5106 and 5108 shall be
deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.
(b) The Gold Star Family specialized license plate program as
provided in subdivision (d) of Section 5156 shall not be subject to
the fees specified in paragraphs (1), (2), and (5) of subdivision (a)
and shall only be issued in a sequential series.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), and
after deducting its administrative costs under this section, the
department shall deposit the additional revenue derived from the
issuance, renewal, transfer, and substitution of the specialized
license plates in the Specialized License Plate Fund, which is hereby
established in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the
Legislature, the moneys in that fund shall be allocated to each
sponsoring agency, in proportion to the amount in the fund that is
attributable to the agency's specialized license plate program.
Except as authorized under Section 5159, the sponsoring agency shall
expend all funds received under this section exclusively for projects
and programs that promote the state agency's official policy,
mission, or work.
(d) (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs may actively request
and receive donations for the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
which is hereby created in the Specialized License Plate Fund and
which may consist of donations from public and private entities.
Earnings generated by the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
shall be retained by the account.
(2) Upon the determination of the department that there are
sufficient funds in the Gold Star Family License Plate Account for
this purpose, moneys in the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the
department for the necessary administrative costs of establishing the
Gold Star Family specialized license plate program.
(e) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as
of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2017, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends
that date.
SEC. 2. Section 5157 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
5157. (a) In addition to the regular fees for an original
registration or renewal of registration, the following additional
fees shall be paid for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the
specialized license plates:
(1) For the original issuance of the plates, fifty dollars ($50).
(2) For a renewal of registration with the plates, forty dollars
($40).
(3) For transfer of the plates to another vehicle, fifteen dollars
($15).
(4) For each substitute replacement plate, thirty-five dollars
($35).
(5) In addition, for the issuance of environmental license plates,
as defined in Section 5103, with a specialized license plate design,
the additional fees prescribed in Sections 5106 and 5108. The
additional fees prescribed in Sections 5106 and 5108 shall be
deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.
(b) (1) The Gold Star Family specialized license plate program as
provided in subdivision (d) of Section 5156 shall not be subject to
the fees specified in paragraphs (1), (2), and (5) of subdivision (a)
and shall only be when issued in a
sequential series.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), Gold Star Family
specialized license plates may be personalized if the family member
pays forty-eight dollars ($48) for the personalization of the plates.
The plates shall not be subject to the fees specified in paragraphs
(1), (2), and (5) of subdivision (a).
(B) The revenue from the personalization fee
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (5) of
subdivision (a), the revenue from Gold Star Family specialized
license plates issued as environmental license plates shall be
deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account within the State
Transportation Fund until sufficient funds have been deposited to
cover the Department of Motor Vehicles' upfront cost of implementing
the personalization program. Upon the determination by the department
that the upfront costs are recovered, all revenue from the
personalization fee this revenue shall be
deposited into the Veterans Service Office Fund.
Fund, created by Section 972.2 of the Military and Veterans
Code.
(C) Personalized Gold Star Family specialized license plates shall
be subject to the additional fees prescribed in Sections 5106 and
5108. The revenue from these additional fees shall be deposited into
the Motor Vehicle Account within the State Transportation Fund until
sufficient funds have been deposited to cover the Department of Motor
Vehicles' upfront cost of implementing the personalization program.
Upon the determination by the department that the upfront costs are
recovered, all revenue from these additional fees shall be deposited
into the Veterans Service Office Fund.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), and
after deducting its administrative costs under this section, the
department shall deposit the additional revenue derived from the
issuance, renewal, transfer, and substitution of the specialized
license plates in the Specialized License Plate Fund, which is hereby
established in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the
Legislature, the moneys in that fund shall be allocated to each
sponsoring agency in proportion to the amount in the fund that is
attributable to the agency's specialized license plate program.
Except as authorized under Section 5159, the sponsoring agency shall
expend all funds received under this section exclusively for projects
and programs that promote the state agency's official policy,
mission, or work.
(d) (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs may actively request
and receive donations for the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
which is hereby created in the Specialized License Plate Fund and
which may consist of donations from public and private entities.
Earnings generated by the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
shall be retained by the account.
(2) Upon the determination of the department that there are
sufficient funds in the Gold Star Family License Plate Account for
this purpose, moneys in the Gold Star Family License Plate Account
shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the
department for the necessary administrative costs of establishing the
Gold Star Family specialized license plate program.
(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
January 1, 2017.
