Bill Text: MS SB2883 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Distinctive motor vehicle license tag; reauthorize for Wildlife Mississippi.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [SB2883 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-SB2883-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Finance
By: Senator(s) Michel
Senate Bill 2883
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-56.535, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION PERIOD FOR THE ISSUANCE OF DISTINCTIVE MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE TAGS TO SUPPORTERS OF WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF ALTERNATIVE DISTINCTIVE TAGS TO SUPPORTERS OF WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH ALTERNATIVE TAGS SHALL HAVE A BLACK BACKGROUND AND A WHITE PINSTRIPE BORDER, AND SHALL HAVE "MISSISSIPPI" PRINTED AT THE TOP, AND "WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI" PRINTED AT THE BOTTOM; TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-44, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT, BEFORE EITHER TAG MAY BE ISSUED, WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI MUST SUBMIT PROOF SATISFACTORY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE THAT AT LEAST 100 OF SUCH TAGS WILL BE PURCHASED AND MUST DEPOSIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT AN AMOUNT NECESSARY TO PURCHASE 100 OF SUCH TAGS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 27-19-56.535, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-19-56.535. (1) Beginning with any registration year commencing on or after July 1, 2024, any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for any motor vehicle registered in his name identifying such person as a supporter of Wildlife Mississippi. The distinctive license tags so issued shall be of such color and design as the department, with the advice of Wildlife Mississippi, may prescribe and shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to distinguish each license tag.
(2) Beginning with any registration year commencing on or after July 1, 2027, as an alternative to the tag authorized in subsection (1) of this section, any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for any motor vehicle registered in his name identifying such person as a supporter of Wildlife Mississippi. The distinctive tags so issued shall have a black background and a white pinstripe border and shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to distinguish each tag. "Mississippi" shall be printed at the top, and "Wildlife Mississippi" shall be printed at the bottom.
( * * *3) Application for the distinctive
license tags authorized by this section shall be made to the county tax
collector on forms prescribed by the department. The application and the
additional fee imposed under subsection (3) of this section, less Two Dollars
($2.00) thereof to be retained by the tax collector, shall be remitted to the
department on a monthly basis as prescribed by the department. The portion of
the additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited into the
county general fund.
( * * *4) Any person applying for a
distinctive license tag under this section shall pay an additional fee in the
amount of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) for each distinctive license tag applied for
under this section, which shall be in addition to all other taxes and fees.
The additional fee paid shall be for a period of time to run concurrently with
the vehicle's established license tag year. The additional fee is due and
payable at the time the original application is made for a distinctive license tag
under this section and thereafter annually at the time of renewal registration
as long as the owner retains the distinctive license tag. If the owner does
not wish to retain the distinctive license tag, he must surrender it to the
local county tax collector.
( * * *5) The department shall deposit all
fees into the State Treasury on the day collected. At the end of each month,
the department shall certify to the State Treasurer the total fees collected
under this section from the issuance of the distinctive license tags issued
under this section. The State Treasurer shall distribute such collections as
follows:
(a) Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall be distributed to Wildlife Mississippi.
(b) One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Mississippi Burn Care Fund created pursuant to Section 7-9-70.
(c) Two Dollars ($2.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall be deposited to the credit of the State Highway Fund to be expended solely for the repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of highways.
(d) One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall be deposited to the credit of the special fund created in Section 27-19-44.2.
( * * *6) A regular license tag must be properly
displayed as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag under
this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered to the tax collector
upon issuance of the distinctive license tag under this section. The tax
collector shall issue up to two (2) license decals for each distinctive license
tag issued under this section, which will expire the same month and year as the
regular license tag.
( * * *7) In the case of loss or theft of a
distinctive license tag issued under this section, the owner may make
application and affidavit for a replacement distinctive license tag as provided
by Section 27-19-37. The fee for a replacement distinctive license tag shall
be Ten Dollars ($10.00). The tax collector receiving such application and
affidavit shall be entitled to retain and deposit into the county general fund
five percent (5%) of the fee for such replacement license tag and the remainder
shall be distributed in the same manner as funds from the sale of regular
distinctive license tags issued under this section.
( * * *8) In order for a distinctive license
tag to be issued under subsection (1) of this section, the provisions of
Section 27-19-44(3) must be satisfied for the * * * tag before July 1, * * * 2029. In order for a
distinctive tag to be issued under subsection (2) of this section, the
provisions of Section 27-19-44(3) must be satisfied for the tag before July 1,
2029.
SECTION 2. Section 27-19-44, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-19-44. (1) For any distinctive license tag or plate authorized by the Legislature from and after July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2002, or authorized by Sections 27-19-56.37 and 27-19-56.55, the requirements of this subsection must be met before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of this subsection (1) within two (2) years after the effective date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1) of this section, for any distinctive license tag or plate authorized by the Legislature from and after July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2007, the requirements of this subsection must be met before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least two hundred (200) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase two hundred (200) of such license tags or plates. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of this subsection (2) within three (3) years after the effective date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, Section 27-19-56.7, Section 27-19-56.56, Section 27-19-56.59, Section 27-19-56.85 or Section 27-19-56.94, for any distinctive license tag or plate authorized or reauthorized by the Legislature from and after July 1, 2007, the following requirements must be met before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate:
(a) The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least three hundred (300) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase three hundred (300) of such license tags or plates.
(b) The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) within three (3) years after the effective date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. This paragraph (b) shall not apply to distinctive tags or plates issued under Section 27-19-56.154.
(4) Any distinctive license
tag authorized under * * * Section 27-19-56.186, 27-19-56.203 * * *, 27-19-56.315, 27-19-56.535(1)
or 27-19-56.535(2) must meet the requirements of this subsection before the
department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. The
organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the
distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the
department that at least one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates will
be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to
purchase one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates. The organization or
other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag
or plate must satisfy the requirements of this subsection (4) within three (3)
years after the effective date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate
in order to permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued.
(5) The distinctive license tags authorized under Section 27-19-56.108 must meet the requirements of this subsection before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least two hundred (200) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase two hundred (200) of such license tags or plates.
(6) Any distinctive license tag authorized under Section 27-19-56.549(1)(l), (n), (z) or (ai) must meet the requirements of this subsection before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of this subsection (4) within three (3) years after the effective date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. Until a total of three hundred (300) such tags are sold, the department shall deposit the proceeds of the additional fee into the License Tag Acquisition Fund created in Section 27-19-179. After three hundred (300) tags are sold, the proceeds of the additional fee shall be distributed as provided in the section authorizing the issuance of the applicable special tag. The department may promulgate rules and regulations to administer this subsection.
(7) If the organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate meets the requirements of subsection (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section, the department shall prepare and issue the distinctive license tag or plate.
(8) The department shall review the number of distinctive or special license tags or plates issued pursuant to this chapter during the period for the license tag or plate series. If the number of any distinctive or special license tag or plate issued pursuant to this chapter falls below one hundred (100) in the last year of the license tag or plate series, the distinctive or special license tag or plate shall be discontinued at the end of the period for the license tag or plate series.
(9) If a distinctive or special license tag or plate is discontinued under subsection (7) of this section, the organization or other entity for which the license tag or plate was discontinued may prepare a distinctive or special license tag or plate decal. The distinctive or special license tag or plate decal shall be of such size, color and design as may be agreed upon by the organization or other entity and the department. However, the department shall have final approval of the size, color and design of the decal. The distinctive or special license tag or plate decals shall be prepared and sold by the organization or other entity, and the proceeds derived from the sale of such decals shall be retained by the organization or other entity for any use deemed appropriate by the organization or other entity.
(10) The provisions of this section shall not apply to distinctive or special license tags or plates:
(a) Which are issued under Section 27-19-45, 27-19-46, 27-19-47.1, 27-19-47.2, 27-19-48, 27-19-49, 27-19-53, 27-19-55, 27-19-56, 27-19-56.1, 27-19-56.2, 27-19-56.3, 27-19-56.5, 27-19-56.6, 27-19-56.9, 27-19-56.11, 27-19-56.12, 27-19-56.13, 27-19-56.40, 27-19-56.62, 27-19-56.69, 27-19-56.79, 27-19-56.90, 27-19-56.125, 27-19-56.127, 27-19-56.137, 27-19-56.140, 27-19-56.162, 27-19-56.187, 27-19-56.199, 27-19-56.205, 27-19-56.239, 27-19-56.292, 27-19-56.318, 27-19-56.379, 27-19-56.425, 27-19-56.466, 27-19-56.489, 27-19-56.522(1)(a), 27-19-56.524 or 27-19-56.557; or
(b) For which no additional fee is required to be paid.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
