H*4412(Rat #0328, Act #0264 of 2002)  General Bill, By Scarborough, Altman, 
Coates and Campsen
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING BY ADDING ARTICLES 44,
 94, AND 97, SO AS TO PROVIDE, RESPECTIVELY, FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SHARE THE ROAD
 LICENSE PLATES, A SPECIAL MORRIS ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE LICENSE PLATE, AND THE
 HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE; AND TO AMEND SECTION
 56-3-8100, RELATING TO GUIDELINES FOR THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF
 SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT FROM THE FUNDS COLLECTED FOR
 THESE LICENSE PLATES, SUFFICIENT FUNDS MUST BE SET ASIDE FOR USE BY THE
 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF PRODUCING AND ADMINISTERING
 THE SPECIAL PLATE.-amended title

   12/12/01  House  Prefiled
   12/12/01  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/08/02  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-29
   01/08/02  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-30
   03/05/02  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works HJ-3
   03/06/02  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Campsen
   03/07/02  House  Amended HJ-16
   03/07/02  House  Read second time HJ-18
   03/07/02  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-36
   03/08/02  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2
   03/12/02  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
   03/12/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-7
   04/24/02  Senate Polled out of committee Transportation SJ-17
   04/24/02  Senate Committee report: Favorable Transportation SJ-17
   04/25/02  Senate Read second time SJ-17
   04/25/02  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-17
   05/02/02  Senate Amended SJ-28
   05/02/02  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-28
   05/08/02  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-55
   05/14/02         Ratified R 328
   05/21/02         Became law without Governor's signature
   06/05/02         Act No. 264
   07/03/02         Effective date 05/21/02
   07/03/02         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING BY ADDING ARTICLES 44, 94, AND 97, SO AS TO PROVIDE, RESPECTIVELY, FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SHARE THE ROAD LICENSE PLATES, A SPECIAL MORRIS ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE LICENSE PLATE, AND THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-8100, RELATING TO GUIDELINES FOR THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT FROM THE FUNDS COLLECTED FOR THESE LICENSE PLATES, SUFFICIENT FUNDS MUST BE SET ASIDE FOR USE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF PRODUCING AND ADMINISTERING THE SPECIAL PLATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Share the Road license plates

SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 44

Section 56-3-4410. (A) The department may issue 'Share the Road' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups having an empty weight of seven thousand pounds or less and a gross weight of nine thousand pounds or less registered in their names which may have imprinted on the plate an emblem, a seal, or other symbol of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc. The Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., shall submit to the department for its approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it desires to be used for this special license plate. The Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., may request a change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol not more than once every five years. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of thirty dollars.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Motor Vehicle Division in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be distributed to the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., or another nonprofit fund designated by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., for the promotion of bicycling safety and education programs. Any remaining funds must be administered by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., used only for efforts to promote bicycle safety and education programs, and deposited in an appropriate nonprofit account designated by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc.

(C) Before the department produces and distributes a plate authorized under this section, it must receive:

(1) four hundred or more prepaid applications for the special license plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department must refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of license plate fees is collected for that organization's license plate. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the license plate, then the department must retain the deposit; and

(2) a plan to market the sale of the special license plate that must be approved by the department.

(D) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for a particular special license plate authorized under this section, it shall not produce additional special license plates in that series. The department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted."

Morris Island Lighthouse license plates

SECTION 2. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 94

Section 56-3-9400. (A) The department may issue 'Morris Island Lighthouse' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups having an empty weight of seven thousand pounds or less and a gross weight of nine thousand pounds or less registered in their names which may have imprinted on the plate an emblem, a seal, or other symbol of the Morris Island Lighthouse. Save the Light, Inc., shall submit to the department for its approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it desires to be used for this special license plate. Save the Light, Inc., may request a change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol not more than once every five years. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of one hundred dollars.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Motor Vehicle Division in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be distributed to Save the Light, Inc., or another nonprofit fund designated by Save the Light, Inc., for the restoration and preservation of the Morris Island Lighthouse. Any remaining funds must be administered by Save the Light, Inc., used only for efforts to restore and preserve the Morris Island Lighthouse, and deposited in an appropriate nonprofit account designated by Save the Light, Inc.

(C) The department shall reserve the first twelve license plates for use by Save the Light, Inc.

(D) Before the department produces and distributes a plate authorized under this section, it must receive:

(1) four hundred or more prepaid applications for the special license plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department must refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of license plate fees is collected for that organization's license plate. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the license plate, then the department must retain the deposit; and

(2) a plan to market the sale of the special license plate that must be approved by the department.

(E) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for a particular special license plate authorized under this section, it shall not produce additional special license plates in that series. The department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted."

Heritage Classic Foundation license plates

SECTION 3. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 97

Section 56-3-9710. (A) The department may issue Heritage Classic Foundation special license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles registered in their names. The fee for each special license plate is seventy-five dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5. Each special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.

(B) Of the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Motor Vehicle Division in producing and administering this special license plate. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be distributed to the Heritage Classic Foundation.

(C) Before the department produces and distributes the Heritage Classic Foundation special license plates pursuant to this section, it must receive:

(1) four hundred or more prepaid applications for the special license plate or a deposit of four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. If a deposit of four thousand dollars is made by an individual or organization pursuant to this section, the department shall refund the four thousand dollars once an equivalent amount of license plate fees is collected for that organization's license plate. If the equivalent amount is not collected within four years of the first issuance of the respective license plate, the department shall retain the deposit;

(2) a plan to market the sale of the special license plate which must be approved by the department.

(D) If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for a particular special license plate, it may not produce additional special license plates in that series. The department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted."

Funds to be used for special license plate program

SECTION 4. Section 56-3-8100 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 63 of 1999, is amended by adding at the end:

"(D) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the fees collected for the special license plate, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Motor Vehicle Division in producing and administering the special plate."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 14th day of May, 2002.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 5/21/02.