AN ACT

RELATING TO WILDLIFE; ENACTING A DESCRIPTION OF AND REQUIREMENTS FOR A STANDARDIZED SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE; PROVIDING FOR A STANDARDIZED SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE WITH A LOGO FEATURING ARTWORK OF NEW MEXICO WILDLIFE.

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

Section 1. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code, Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:

"66-3-424. STANDARDIZED SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES WITH LOGOS.--

A. Standardized special registration plates with logos may be authorized by statute to show state support for worthy public purposes. The authorizing statute shall provide for collection of fees that, at a minimum, will cover the costs to the division of development, manufacture and issuance of the special registration plates and logos.

B. Standardized special registration plates, on the standardized areas, shall:

(1) display the colors of the state flag, red lettering on a yellow background;

(2) display the phrases "New Mexico USA" and "Land of Enchantment";

(3) provide a space for applying the special registration logo, centered at the left edge of the plate, between the attachment holes, beginning one-fourth inch in from the edge of the plate and having the following dimensions: four and one-eighth inches in height and three and one-eighth inches in width; and

(4) provide a vehicle registration number, to be assigned by the division, that consists of five alphanumeric characters displayed to the right of the special logo area.

C. Special registration logos, except for the standard dimension specified in Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of this section, shall be left to the design discretion of the division, in consultation with the public purpose interest group that requests the special registration plate.

D. Standardized special registration plates with logos, when authorized by statute for a particular public purpose interest group, shall meet the requirements specified in this subsection prior to plate issuance by the division. The public purpose interest group, no later than the effective date of the authorizing statute:

(1) shall provide evidence acceptable to the division that it will generate a minimum number of prepaid applications as determined by the division for the special registration plate with logo;

(2) shall provide a prepayment to the division in an amount sufficient to cover the plate and logo cost of the initial order;

(3) shall provide a sample of the requested artwork design in a format specified by the plate manufacturer for the specialized logo; and

(4) in cases where the authorizing statute includes revenue-sharing with distribution directed to a particular group or fund, shall show that the recipient is a governmental entity or a fund authorized for the use of a governmental entity.

E. The division may promulgate rules for implementation of the provisions of this section."

Section 2. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code, Section 66-3-424.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:

"66-3-424.1. 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. The director of the department of game and fish shall designate a "share with wildlife" logo design committee that shall recommend to the director the color and design of the special wildlife artwork logo. The director in cooperation with the secretary shall determine the design of the special wildlife artwork logo. No personalized or vanity design variation of the special wildlife artwork registration plates shall be issued.

C. For a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), which shall be 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 wishes to retain and renew the special wildlife artwork registration plate.

D. 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 paid to the state treasurer for credit to the motor vehicle suspense fund for distribution in accordance with Section 66-6-23 NMSA 1978; 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."

Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--Except for Section 1 of this act, the effective date of the provisions of this act is January 1, 2004. The effective date of the provisions of Section 1 of this act is July 1, 2003.

HB 656

Page 4