GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 631
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/29/93

Short Title:  Wildlife License Plates.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:
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March 29, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO ISSUE SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES DEPICTING WILDLIFE SPECIES IN NORTH CAROLINA AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE INCOME FROM THOSE PLATES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(28)	Wildlife Resources. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20-81.12.  The plate shall bear a picture representing a native wildlife species occurring in North Carolina."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 20-79.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-79.7.  Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees.
(a)	Fees. – Upon request, the Division shall provide and issue free of charge one registration plate to a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, a 100% disabled veteran, and an ex-prisoner of war.  All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee in G.S. 20-87 or G.S. 20-88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:
Special Plate	Additional Fee Amount
	Historical Attraction	$30.00
Collegiate Insignia	$25.00
Personalized	$20.00
Wildlife Resources	$20.00
	Active Member of the National Guard	 None
All Other Special Plates	$10.00.
(b)	Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Fundraiser Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund.  The Division must credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a) among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Fundraiser Plate Account (FPA), and the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Fund (RNHTF), which is established under G.S. 113-77.7, as follows:
			Special Plate	SRPA	FPA	RNHTF
Historical Attraction	 $10	 $20	   0
In-State Collegiate Insignia	 $10	 $15	   0
Out-of-state Collegiate
Insignia	 $10	   0	 $15
Personalized	 $10	   0	 $10
Wildlife Resources	$10	 $10	  0
All other Special Plates	$10	   0	  0.
(c)	Use of Funds in Special Registration Plate Account. – The Division shall deduct the costs of special registration plates, including the costs of issuing, handling, and advertising the availability of the special plates, from the Special Registration Plate Account.  The Division shall transfer the remaining revenue in the Account quarterly as follows:
(1)	Thirty-three percent (33%) to the account of the Department of Economic and Community Development 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 Economic and Community Development in its publications, to provide technical assistance to travel attractions concerning accommodation of disabled tourists, and to develop, print, and promote the publication ACCESS NORTH CAROLINA as provided in G.S.168-2.  Any funds allocated for these purposes that are neither spent nor obligated at the end of the fiscal year 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. 20-81.12 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-81.12.  Collegiate insignia plates, historical attraction plates, and wildlife resources plates.
	(a)	Collegiate Insignia Plates. – The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a collegiate insignia license plate for a college or university before a collegiate license plate may be developed. The color, design, and material for the plate must be approved by both the Division and the alumni or alumnae association of the appropriate college or university. The Division must transfer quarterly the money in the Fundraiser Plate Account derived from the sale of in-State collegiate insignia plates to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina for in-State, public colleges and universities and to the respective board of trustees for in-State, private colleges and universities in proportion to the number of collegiate plates sold representing that institution for use for academic enhancement.
(b)	Historical Attraction Plates. – The Division must receive 300 or more applications for an historical attraction plate representing a publicly owned or nonprofit historical attraction located in North Carolina and listed below before the plate may be developed. The Division must transfer quarterly the money in the Fundraiser Plate Account derived from the sale of historical attraction plates to the organizations named below in proportion to the number of historical attraction plates sold representing that organization:
(1)	Historical Attraction Within Historic District. – The revenue derived from the special plate shall be transferred quarterly to the appropriate Historic Preservation Commission, or entity designated as the Historic Preservation Commission, and used to maintain property in the historic district in which the attraction is located. As used in this subdivision, the term "historic district" means a district created under G.S. 160A-400.4.
(2)	Nonprofit Historical Attraction. – The revenue derived from the special plate shall be transferred quarterly to the nonprofit corporation that is responsible for maintaining the attraction for which the plate is issued and used to develop and operate the attraction.
(3)	State Historic Site. – The revenue derived from the special plate shall be transferred quarterly to the Department of Cultural Resources and used to develop and operate the site for which the plate is issued. As used in this subdivision, the term "State historic site" has the same meaning as in G.S. 121-2(11).
(c)	Wildlife Resources Plates. – The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a wildlife resources plate with a picture representing a particular native wildlife species occurring in North Carolina before the plate may be developed.  The Division must transfer quarterly the money in the Fundraiser Plate Account derived from the sale of wildlife resources plates to the Wildlife Preservation Account established by G.S. 143-247.2.
	(d)	General. – An application for a special license plate named in this section may be made at any time during the year. If the application is made to replace an existing current valid plate, the special plate must be issued with the appropriate decals attached. No refund shall be made to the applicant for any unused portion remaining on the original plate. The request for a special license plate named in this section may be combined with a request that the plate be a personalized license plate.
	(g)	."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 105-269.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 105-269.5.  Contribution of income tax refund to Wildlife Preservation Account.
Any taxpayer entitled to a refund of income taxes under Article 4 of this Chapter may elect to contribute all or part of the refund to the Wildlife Preservation Account established under G.S. 143-247.2 to be used for the management, protection, and preservation of wildlife in accordance with that statute. The Secretary shall provide appropriate language and space on the income tax form in which to make the election.  The taxpayer's election becomes irrevocable upon filing the taxpayer's income tax return for the taxable year.  The Secretary shall transmit the contributions made pursuant to this section to the State Treasurer for credit to the Wildlife Preservation Account."
Sec. 5.  G.S. 143-247.2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143-247.2. Wildlife Preservation Account; emblems for those who donate to the Account.
(a)	Account. – The Wildlife Preservation Account is established within the Wildlife Resources Fund.  Revenue is credited to the Account from donations of income tax refunds, from other donations, and from revenue derived from the sale of wildlife resources license plates.  The Commission may use revenue in the Account only to manage, preserve, and protect nongame wildlife species or wildlife species whose existence is endangered.
(b)	Emblems.  – The Commission may issue and sell appropriate emblems by which to identify recipients thereof as contributors to the Wildlife Preservation Account.  Emblems of different size, shape, type, or design may be used to recognize contributions in different amounts.  The Commission may not issue an emblem for a contribution of less than five dollars ($5.00)."
Sec. 6.  This act becomes effective January 1, 1994.