GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 913

Short Title:  Up Vanity Plate Fees.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Basnight.
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Referred to:  Finance.
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April 18, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE FEE FOR VANITY MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION PLATES AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES DERIVED.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 20-81.3(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	An owner who desires personalized registration plates shall make application for such plates on forms which shall be provided by the Division of Motor Vehicles and pay the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) annually, which shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee. Once an owner has obtained personalized plates, he, where possible, will have first priority on those plates for the following years provided he makes timely and appropriate application; provided, however, that the Commissioner shall not issue a personalized license plate pursuant to this section except upon written application therefor on a form furnished by the Commissioner in which the applicant certifies that his operator's or chauffeur's license has not been revoked or suspended under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes within two years prior to the date of the application; and provided, further, that any personalized license plate issued pursuant to this section shall be cancelled and recalled by the Commissioner and the application fee forfeited in the event that the Commissioner determines that a false application has been submitted."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 20-81.3(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Ten dollars ($10.00) of the revenue derived from the additional fee for the special personalized registration plates shall be placed in a separate fund designated the ‘Personalized Registration Plate Fund'. After deducting the cost of the plates, plus budgetary requirements for handling and issuance to be determined by the Commissioner, any remaining moneys derived from the additional fee for such plates shall be transferred quarterly:
(1)	Thirty-three percent (33%) to the account of the Department of Commerce to aid in financing out-of-state print and other media advertising under the program for the promotion of travel and industrial development in this State.
(2)	Fifty percent (50%) to the Department of Transportation to be used solely for the purpose of beautification of highways other than those designated as interstate. These funds shall be administered by the Department of Transportation for beautification purposes not inconsistent with good landscaping and engineering principles.
(3)	Seventeen percent (17%) to the account of the Department of Human Resources to promote travel accessibility for disabled persons in this State.  These funds shall be used: to collect and update site information on travel attractions designated by the Department of Commerce in their publications; to provide technical assistance to travel attraction concerning accommodation of disabled tourists; and to develop, print, and promote the publication ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA.  The Department of Human Resources shall make copies of ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA available to the Department of Commerce for their use in Welcome Centers and other appropriate Department of Commerce offices.
(4)	The Department of Commerce shall promote ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA in their publications (including providing a toll-free telephone line and in address for requesting copies of the publication) and provide technical assistance to the Department of Human Resources on travel attractions to be included in ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA.  The Department of Commerce shall forward all requests for mailing ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA to the Department of Human Resources.
(5)	Funds allocated by this section for promotion of travel accessibility and ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA which are not spent and are not obligated at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall be transferred to the Department of Administration for removal of man-made barriers to disabled travelers at State-funded travel attractions.  Guidelines for the removal of man-made barriers shall be developed in consultation with the Department of Human Resources."
Sec. 3. G.S. 20-81.3 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( c1)	Ten dollars ($10.00) of the revenue derived from the additional fee for the special personalized registration plates shall be placed in a separate fund designated the ‘Beach Access and Natural Heritage Trust Vehicle Registration Fund'.  The monies in the fund shall be transferred quarterly:
	(1)	Fifty percent (50%) to the account of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development for use in the Beach Access Program found in Article 7A of Chapter 113A of the General Statues.
	(2)	Fifty percent (50%) to the account of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development for use in the Natural Heritage Trust Fund found in Article 5A of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes."
Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.