HOUSE BILL 580

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

INTRODUCED BY

Stefani Lord and Art De La Cruz and Randall T. Pettigrew

and Jonathan A. Henry and Joseph L. Sanchez

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES; CREATING A SEPARATE SPECIAL SHARE WITH WILDLIFE REGISTRATION PLATE THAT DEPICTS ELK; ALLOWING FOR THE CESSATION OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE ISSUANCE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. Section 66-3-424.6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 178, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

     "66-3-424.6. SPECIAL WILDLIFE ARTWORK REGISTRATION PLATES--PROCEDURES--FEE.--

          A. The department shall establish and issue a standardized special registration plate with a logo specified in Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978 featuring artwork of New Mexico wildlife for any private motor vehicle except a motorcycle. The department shall adopt procedures for application for and issuance of the special wildlife artwork registration plates.

          B. Beginning January 1, 2026, the division shall

issue a separate standardized special registration plate with a logo designed as specified in Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978 and that depicts elk to express support for the share with wildlife program of the department of game and fish.

          [B.] C. The director of the department of game and fish [shall] may designate a "share with wildlife" logo design committee that [shall] may recommend to the director the color and design of [the] a special wildlife artwork logo. The director in cooperation with the secretary shall determine the design of [the] a special wildlife artwork logo. No personalized or vanity design variation of the special wildlife artwork registration plates shall be issued.

          [C.] D. For a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), which [shall be] is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fees, an owner of a motor vehicle may apply for the issuance of a special wildlife artwork registration plate. The owner of a motor vehicle shall apply for the plate and pay the twenty-five-dollar ($25.00) fee for the first year and ten dollars ($10.00) for each subsequent year if [he] the owner wishes to retain and renew the special wildlife artwork registration plate.

          [D.] E. The revenue from the additional fee for a special wildlife artwork registration plate shall be distributed as follows:

                (1) ten dollars ($10.00) of the initial fee collected shall be retained by the division and is appropriated to the division to defray the cost of making and issuing special registration plates for wildlife artwork; and

                (2) fifteen dollars ($15.00) of the initial fee and the entire renewal fee collected shall be distributed to the share with wildlife program of the game protection fund.

          F. Beginning on July 1, 2031, and on July 1 of each

subsequent year, the department may compare the number of each

special registration plates issued and renewed pursuant to this section in the previous fiscal year with the average number of such plates issued and renewed annually between fiscal years 2026 through 2031. If the department determines that the

number of special registration plates issued and renewed pursuant to this section in the previous fiscal year is less than fifty percent of the average number of the plates issued and renewed annually between fiscal years 2026 through 2031, the department may stop issuing the special registration plates."

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