SENATE BILL

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Leo Jaramillo

AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE CODE TO CREATE AN AMERICA'S LOWRIDER CAPITAL SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE; ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR A CESSATION OF ISSUANCE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SPECIAL AMERICA'S LOWRIDER CAPITAL REGISTRATION PLATE.--

          A. The division shall issue a standardized America's lowrider capital special registration plate recognizing the importance of New Mexico to the lowrider history and culture of the United States. The plate shall have a logo designed pursuant to Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978 that is developed by the division in collaboration with the Espanola lowrider association.

          B. For an initial fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), which shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fees, the owner of a vehicle may apply for issuance of an America's lowrider capital special registration plate. The vehicle owner shall pay a renewal fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) each year to retain and renew the America's lowrider capital special registration plate.

          C. The revenue from the additional fee for an America's lowrider capital special registration plate shall be distributed as follows:

                (1) twelve dollars ($12.00) of the initial fee collected shall be retained by and is appropriated to the department to defray the cost of making and issuing the America's lowrider capital special registration plate; and

                (2) thirty-eight dollars ($38.00) of the initial registration fee and the entire twenty dollars ($20.00) of subsequent renewal fees shall be distributed and are appropriated to the cultural affairs department to create and distribute materials or for the development of museum exhibits explaining the importance of lowrider history and culture to the United States and New Mexico.

          D. Beginning on July 1, 2028, and on July 1 of each subsequent year, the department shall compare the number of America's lowrider capital special registration plates issued or registration renewals for those plates in the previous fiscal year with the average of the number of those plates issued in fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

          E. Beginning in fiscal year 2029, by September 1 of a fiscal year in which the department determines that the number of America's lowrider capital special registration plates issued or registration renewals for those plates in the previous fiscal year is less than fifty percent of the average number of those plates issued in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the department shall stop issuing America's lowrider capital special registration plates."

     SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.

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