A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize the division of motor vehicles to issue special registration plates that have met statutory requirements and to make changes to various special registration plates.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑63(b1) reads as rewritten:
"(b1)	The following special registration plates do not have to be a "First in Flight" plate or "First in Freedom" plate as provided in subsection (b) of this section. The design of the plates that are not "First in Flight" plates or "First in Freedom" plates must be developed in accordance with G.S. 20‑79.4(a3). For special plates authorized in G.S. 20‑79.7 on or after July 1, 2013, the Division may not issue the plate on a background under this subsection unless it receives at least 200 applications for the plate in addition to the applications required under G.S. 20‑79.4 or G.S. 20‑81.12.
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(48)	Alpha Phi Alpha.
(49)	Carolina Panthers.
(50)	NC Surveyors.
(51)	North Carolina Sheriffs' Association.
(52)	Save the Honey Bee (SB)."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑79.4(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:
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()	Carolina Panthers. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Keep Pounding", the logo of the Carolina Panthers, and the letters "CP". The Division shall not develop a plate under this subdivision without a license to use copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The Division shall not pay a royalty for the license to use the copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The plate authorized by this subdivision is not subject to the provisions of G.S. 20‑79.3A or G.S. 20‑79.8.
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()	NC Surveyors. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Following In Their Footsteps", a picture representing a surveyor, and the letters "PS" on the right side of the plate.
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()	North Carolina Sheriffs' Association. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate may bear a phrase and logo selected by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association, Inc.
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(190)	Register of Deeds. – Issuable to a register of deeds of a county of this State. The plate shall bear the words "Register of Deeds" and the letter "R" followed by a number representing the county of the register of deeds. The number of a county shall be the order of the county in an alphabetical list of counties that assigns number one to the first county in the list. A plate issued to a retired register of deeds shall bear the phrase "Register of Deeds, Retired," followed by a number that indicates the county where the register of deeds served and a designation indicating the retired status of the register of deeds. For purposes of this subdivision, a "retired register of deeds" is a person (i) with at least 10 years of service as a register of deeds of a county of this State and (ii) who no longer holds that office for any reason other than removal under G.S. 161‑27.
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()	Save the Honey Bee (HB). – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Save the Honey Bee", a picture representing a honey bee, and the letters "HB" on the right side of the plate.
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()	Save the Honey Bee (SB). – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Save the Honey Bee", a picture representing a honey bee on a blue flower inside of a hexagon, a honeycomb background, and the letters "SB" on the right side of the plate.
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SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑79.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑79.7.  Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees.
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(a1)	Fees. – 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
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Brenner Children's Hospital	$30.00
Carolina Panthers	$30.00
Carolina Raptor Center	$30.00
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North Carolina Paddle Festival	$30.00
North Carolina Sheriffs' Association	$30.00
Operation Coming Home	$30.00
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NC Children's Promise	$25.00
NC Surveyors	$25.00
Nurses	$25.00
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NC Beekeepers	$15.00
Save the Honey Bee (HB)	$15.00
Save the Honey Bee (SB)	$15.00
Shag Dancing	$15.00
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(b)	Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction 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) of this section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), which is established under G.S. 113A‑253, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is established under G.S. 113‑44.15, as follows:
Special Plate	SRPA	CCAPA	CWMTF	PRTF
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Buffalo Soldiers	$10	$15	0	0
Carolina Panthers	$10	$20	0	0
Carolina Raptor Center	$10	$20	0	0
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NCSC	$10	$20	0	0
NC Surveyors	$10	$15	0	0
NC Tennis Foundation	$10	$10	0	0
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North Carolina Paddle Festival	$10	$20	0	0
North Carolina Sheriffs' Association	$10	$20	0	0
Nurses	$10	$15	0	0
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Ronald McDonald House	$10	$20	0	0
Save the Honey Bee (HB)	$10	$5	0	0
Save the Honey Bee (SB)	$10	$5	0	0
Save the Sea Turtles	$10	$10	0	0
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SECTION 4.  G.S. 20‑81.12 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑81.12.  Collegiate insignia plates and certain other special plates.
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(b148)	North Carolina Paddle Festival. – The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a North Carolina Paddle Festival plate before the plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of North Carolina Paddle Festival plates to the Friends of the Hammocks and Bear Island, Inc.
(b149)	Carolina Panthers. – The Division shall transfer quarterly one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Carolina Panthers plates to the Keep Pounding Fund of the Carolinas Healthcare Foundation, Inc., to be used to support cancer research at the Carolinas Medical Center, and shall transfer quarterly one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of the Carolina Panthers plates to the Carolina Panthers Charities Fund of the Foundation for the Carolinas to be used to create new athletic opportunities for children, support their educational needs, and promote healthy lifestyles for families.
(b150)	NC Surveyors. – The applicable requirements of G.S. 20‑79.3A shall be met before the NC Surveyors plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of NC Surveyors plates to the North Carolina Society of Surveyors Education Foundation, Inc., to be used to grant financial assistance to those persons genuinely interested in pursuing or continuing to pursue a formal education in the field of surveying.
(b151)	North Carolina Sheriffs' Association. – The applicable requirements of G.S. 20‑79.3A shall be met before the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of North Carolina Sheriffs' Association plates to the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association, Inc., to support the operating expenses of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association.
(b152)	Save the Honey Bee (HB). – The applicable requirements of G.S. 20‑79.3A shall be met before the Save the Honey Bee plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Save the Honey Bee plates to the North Carolina State University Apiculture Program.
(b153)	Save the Honey Bee (SB). – The applicable requirements of G.S. 20‑79.3A shall be met before the Save the Honey Bee plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Save the Honey Bee plates to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation to be used to support the Honey Bee Haven and honey bee educational programs and shall transfer one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Save the Honey Bee plates to the North Carolina State University Apiculture Program to be used to support work on honey bee biology and apicultural science.
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SECTION 5.  The Division of Motor Vehicles shall not issue, and shall not produce, any more special registration plates developed for the Carolina Panthers under the authority in G.S. 20‑79.4(b)(185).
SECTION 6.(a)  G.S. 20‑79.4(b)(122), as it existed on September 30, 2014, is reenacted.
SECTION 6.(b)  G.S. 20‑79.4(b)(122), as reenacted by subsection (a) of this section, reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:
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(122)	Military Veteran. – Issuable to an individual who served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States. The plate shall bear the words "U.S. Military Veteran" and the name and insignia of the branch of service in which the individual served. The plate authorized by this subdivision is not subject to the provisions of G.S. 20‑79.3A or G.S. 20‑79.8."
SECTION 6.(c)  The fee amount set for "Military Veteran" special registration plates in G.S. 20‑79.7(a1) is reenacted.
SECTION 6.(d)  This section becomes effective 90 days after it becomes law.
SECTION 7.(a)  G.S. 20‑79.4(b)(171), as it existed on June 30, 2015, is reenacted. The corresponding provisions for fees under G.S. 20‑79.7(a1) and (b) and any other corresponding requirements for the plates under G.S. 20‑81.12 are also reenacted.
SECTION 7.(b)  G.S. 20‑81.12(b140), as reenacted by subsection (a) of this section reads as rewritten:
"(b140)	Order of the Long Leaf Pine. – The Order of the Long Leaf Pine plate is not subject to the provisions of G.S. 20‑79.3A or G.S. 20‑79.8. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Order of the Long Leaf Pine plates to the General Fund."
SECTION 8.  The Revisor of Statutes is authorized to alphabetize, number, and renumber the special registration plates listed in G.S. 20‑79.4(b) to ensure that all the special registration plates are listed in alphabetical order and numbered accordingly.
SECTION 9.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.