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1996 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 46.2-725, 46.2-742, and 46.2-749.2:1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding sections numbered 46.2-749.2:2, 46.2-749.2:3, 46.2-749.2:4, and 46.2-749.2:5 as follows:
§ 46.2-725. Special license plates, generally.
A. No series of special license plates shall be created or issued by the Commissioner or the Department except as authorized in this article. No special license plates in any series not provided for in this article and no registration decal for any such license plate shall be issued, reissued, or renewed on or after July 1, 1995. However, subject to the limitations contained in subdivisions 1 and 2 of subsection B of this section, the Commissioner may issue special license plates that are combinations of no more than two series of special license plates authorized in this article and currently issued by the Department; the fee for any such combination shall be equal to the sum of the fees for the two series plus the fee for reserved numbers and letters, if applicable. The provisions of subdivisions 1 and 2 of subsection B of this section shall not apply to special license plates that are combinations of two series of special license plates authorized in this article and currently issued by the Department if one of the two combined designs, when feasible, incorporates or includes the international symbol of access.
B. Except as otherwise provided in this article:
1. No license plates provided for in this article shall be issued until the Commissioner receives at least 350 prepaid applications therefor;
2. No additional license plates shall be issued or reissued in any series that, after five or more years of issuance, has fewer than 100 active sets of plates, unless applications therefor again meet the criterion of subdivision 1 of this subsection;
3. All reissued or replacement special license plates shall be subject to a fee of fifteen dollars;
4. The annual fee for the issuance of any license plates issued pursuant to this article shall be ten dollars plus the prescribed fee for state license plates. Applications for all special license plates issued pursuant to this article shall be on forms prescribed by the Commissioner. All special license plates issued pursuant to this article shall be of designs prescribed by the Commissioner and shall bear unique letters and numerals, clearly distinguishable from any other license plate designs, and be readily identifiable by law-enforcement personnel.
No other state license plates shall be required on any vehicles bearing special license plates issued under the provisions of this article.
All fees collected by the Department under this article shall be paid by the Commissioner into the state treasury and shall be set aside as a special fund to be used to meet the expenses of the Department.
§ 46.2-742. Special license plates for persons awarded Purple Heart; fee.
On receipt of an application and written evidence that the applicant has been awarded the Purple Heart, the Commissioner shall issue to the applicant special license plates.
For each set of license plates issued under this section, the Commissioner shall charge, in addition to the prescribed cost of state license plates, a one-time fee of ten dollars at the time the plates are issued.
Unremarried surviving spouses of persons eligible to receive special license plates under this section may also be issued special license plates under this section.
The provisions of subdivisions 1 and 2 of subsection B of § 46.2-725 shall not apply to license plates issued under this section.
§ 46.2-749.2:1. Special license plates for supporters of certain children's programs; fees.
On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section,
the Commissioner shall issue special license plates bearing, at the applicant's
option, either (i) a heart, (ii) a five-pointed star, or (iii) a child's
handprint, or (iv) another design or device approved by the
Commissioner.
The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars plus the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five-dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 registrations pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the special fund known as the Children's Programs Support Fund for use as follows: one-half shall be paid into the Family and Children's Trust Fund and one-half shall be paid to the Department of Health for use by the Safe Kids Coalition.
§ 46.2-749.2:2. Special license plates for supporters of Virginia state parks; fees.
A. On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates bearing the following legend: VIRGINIA STATE PARKS.
B. The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars in addition to the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five-dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 registrations pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to a special nonreverting fund known as the Virginia State Parks Foundation Fund, established within the Department of Accounts, for use by the Virginia State Parks Foundation in support of the Foundation's activities and programs.
§ 46.2-749.2:3. Special license plates for supporters of the 4-H Foundation; fees.
A. On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates to supporters of the 4-H Foundation.
B. The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars in addition to the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five-dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 registrations pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to a special nonreverting fund known as the 4-H Foundation Fund, established within the Department of Accounts to be paid annually to the 4-H Foundation and to be used to offer 4-H educational opportunities to youth throughout the Commonwealth.
§ 46.2-749.2:4. Special license plates for supporters of dog and cat sterilization programs; fees.
A. On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates to supporters of dog and cat sterilization programs.
B. The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars in addition to the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five-dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 registrations pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to a special nonreverting fund known as the Dog and Cat Sterilization Fund, established within the Department of Accounts. These funds shall be paid annually to the locality in which the vehicle is registered and shall be used by the localities to which they are paid to support sterilization programs for dogs and cats.
Each affected locality shall annually certify in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner that these funds have been or are being used to support sterilization programs for dogs and cats. If an affected locality does not have such a sterilization program, it shall (i) make the funds available to any private, nonprofit sterilization program for dogs and cats in that locality; (ii) return the funds to the Commissioner; or (iii) refuse the funds. Any funds refused, returned to the Commissioner, or otherwise not paid to an affected locality shall be distributed to other affected localities on a pro rata basis.
§ 46.2-749.2:5. Special license plates for Virginians for the arts; fees.
A. On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates bearing the following legend: VIRGINIANS FOR THE ARTS.
B. The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars in addition to the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five-dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 registrations pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the special nonreverting fund known as the Virginians for the Arts Fund, established within the Department of Accounts, for use by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.