Bill Text: HI HB95 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating To Special License Plates For Natural Resources.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-12-10 - Carried over to 2022 Regular Session. [HB95 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-HB95-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	95
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021		H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR NATURAL RESOURCES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 249, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§249-     Special number plates for state natural resources authorized.  (a)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the director of finance shall issue, upon request, to any registered owner of a motor vehicle, who is a resident of the State, upon completed application and payment of required fees, a special number plate that commemorates the beauty of the State's natural resources and observes the importance of preserving those resources, for the registered owner's motor vehicle.

     (b)  The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources or the chairperson's designee shall establish a special number plate design that:

     (1)  Contains words or images, or both, that indicate the special number plate is being issued to recognize the beauty of the State's natural resources;

     (2)  Is similar in shape and size to the uniform state number plate prescribed by law; and

     (3)  Is readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic conditions.

     (c)  The special number plate design shall not:

     (1)  Infringe or otherwise violate any trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right;

     (2)  Represent any obscene or degrading image, idea, word, or phrase;

     (3)  Advertise or endorse a product, brand, or service that is provided for sale;

     (4)  Promote any religious belief;

     (5)  Promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that is contrary to state civil rights laws; or

     (6)  Obstruct the visibility of numbers, letters, or any other information that is required by law to be on a number plate.

     (d)  Each special number plate shall be securely fastened to the motor vehicle in lieu of the uniform state number plate.

     (e)  The director of finance shall charge a special number plate fee at least equal to the county's cost of providing the special number plate and administrative costs, if any, plus a fundraising fee to be determined by the director of finance in consultation with the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources or the chairperson's designee.  The fundraising fee shall be in addition to any other state or county fees collected for a motor vehicle registration or license plate.

     (f)  The director of finance may charge an additional fundraising fee, of the same or a different amount as the fundraising fee established pursuant to subsection (e), for the renewal of a special number plate.  If an additional fundraising fee is implemented pursuant to this subsection, the director of finance shall revoke the special number plate of any registered owner of a motor vehicle who fails to pay the additional fundraising fee imposed by this subsection.

     (g)  The revenue generated by the fundraising fees established pursuant to subsections (e) and (f), or a portion of the revenue generated by the fundraising fees as determined by the director of finance, shall be deposited into the conservation and resources enforcement special fund established under section 199-1.5.

     (h)  The director of finance may revoke all special number plates issued pursuant to this section if the total number of registered owners of motor vehicles who obtain the special number plates is less than one hundred fifty within three years of issuance of the first special number plate.

     (i)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any plates issued pursuant to section 249-9.2.

     (j)  For the purposes of this section, unless a different meaning appears from the context, "special number plate" means a license plate that represents the beauty of the State's natural resources."

     SECTION 2.  Section 199-1.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The following shall be deposited into the conservation and resources enforcement special fund:

     (1)  Grants, awards, donations, gifts, transfers, or moneys derived from public or private sources for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of title 12; chapters 6D, 6E, and 6K; or any rule adopted thereunder;

     (2)  Fees, reimbursements, administrative charges, and penalties collected for activities related to the enforcement of natural, cultural, and historic resources protection laws and rules, except as otherwise provided by law that provides for deposits into other special funds administered by the department;

     (3)  Moneys derived from interest, dividends, or other income from the above-mentioned sources; [and]

     (4)  Revenues generated from section 249‑   ; and

    [(4)] (5)  Appropriations by the legislature to the special fund."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

 

Report Title:

Special License Plates; Natural Resources; Conservation

 

Description:

Authorizes the issuance of special license plates for recognition and protection of the State's natural resources.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (HD2)

 

 

 

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