HOUSE BILL 625

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Tim D. Lewis

AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; CREATING A HERITAGE SERIES OF REGISTRATION PLATES; 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] HERITAGE REGISTRATION PLATES--PROCEDURES--FEES.--

          A. The department shall issue a series of heritage registration plates with logos designed in accordance with Subsection B of this section, symbolizing some of the major factors, events, persons and natural resources that have ushered the state into its second century of statehood. The series of heritage registration plates shall include the following themes:

                (1) New Mexico agriculture, honoring the role of agriculture and small farms in the state's history;

                (2) the space age, including the legend of aliens landing near Roswell, celebrating the efforts of the entire space industry and pioneers, but especially Dr. Robert Goddard, the city of Roswell and the legend of the Chaves county alien landing; 

                (3) the atomic age, celebrating the efforts and contributions of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, White Sands missile range, the trinity site and New Mexico state university;

                (4) aviation, a quest for flight, in honor of all New Mexico aeronauts, but especially the accomplishments of Maxie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo and Larry Newman of the double eagle 2 and the first recorded flight in New Mexico, a gas balloon demonstration by Park Van Tassell on July 4, 1882 in Albuquerque;

                (5) bighorn sheep, celebrating the efforts of countless conservationists and conservation groups, including the boy scouts of America, in preserving and protecting numerous species of animals that might have become extinct without their efforts;

                (6) the cattlemen, celebrating the vaqueros and cowboys who worked the ranches and grasslands, Teddy Roosevelt and the rough riders, as well as the city of Las Vegas;

                (7) the cowboys;

                (8) the duke, representing the duke of Albuquerque and other conquistadors, the city of Albuquerque and the Spanish heritage of the state;

                (9) Gambel's quail;

                (10) horned toads;

                (11) las cruces, an historic depiction of three grouped crosses as traditionally used to represent the city of Las Cruces and the burial of the Mexican military and missionary caravan party; this plate also symbolizes the efforts of the missionaries of many faiths who came to New Mexico and were an integral factor in the European settlement of New Mexico;

                (12) the lawmen, recognizing sheriff Pat Garrett and the badge of solid gold he was reportedly given by the citizenry after the shooting of outlaw William H. Bonney in 1881, and the efforts of all lawmen who have toiled to make the state safe for the citizenry; 

                (13) Merriam's wild turkey;

                (14) the oilmen;

                (15) the railroads, recognizing not only the role of the railroads and trade routes in state commerce and prosperity, but also the city of Santa Fe as the initial terminus of the Santa Fe trail and the initial goal of the railroad pioneers;

                (16) roadrunners, the state bird;

                (17) butterflies, symbolizing the all abilities park located in the city of Rio Rancho and representing the environment and the commitment of New Mexico to encourage all children to fly free, to spread their wings and to become all that they can be, where opportunity abounds, where creativity and individualism are encouraged, where all possess the power to succeed and where only the sky is the limit;

                (18) route 66;

                (19) Smokey bear, symbolizing the entire recreation, forest and grassland management and conservation efforts and opportunities of the state, and especially the town of Carrizozo where Smokey was found;

                (20) the yucca, the state flower; and

                (21) the Zia symbol, symbolizing the Native American heritage of New Mexico and the unity, peace and friendship of all people in New Mexico.

          B. The design of specific registration plates within the heritage series shall be within the discretion of the secretary, except the following design details shall be mandatory:

                (1) the registration plate shall be yellow with red lettering and a red border around the plate;

                (2) the symbol chosen for the theme of each heritage registration plate may contain colors other than yellow and red;

                (3) the words "Land of Enchantment" shall be displayed between the top mounting holes, except that for the registration plate with the route 66 theme, the words "Sunshine State" or "The Mother Road" as determined by the secretary, shall be displayed between the top mounting holes;

                (4) the words "New Mexico" shall be displayed between the bottom mounting holes; and

                (5) the individual registration plate numbering system shall consist of five numbers, or if the plate is personalized, shall consist of five letters, numbers, characters or spaces.

          C. The secretary shall make at least four new heritage registration plates available each calendar year beginning in 2013. The first ten themed heritage registration plates shall be selected from among the designs specified in Paragraphs (2), (3), (6), (8), (9), (11), (12), (15), (17), (18), (19) and (21) of Subsection A of this section. After the first ten themed heritage registration plates are designed and manufactured, no further theme heritage registration plates shall be manufactured until at least one hundred persons have indicated interest in a manner specified by the secretary in purchasing a heritage registration plate with a specific new theme.

          D. For a fee of seventeen dollars ($17.00), which is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee, the owner of a vehicle may apply for issuance of a heritage registration plate in a theme for which the secretary has designed and issued a plate. The fee shall be required only for the initial issuance of a heritage registration plate for a specific theme.

          E. For a fee of ten dollars ($10.00), in addition to the fee charged pursuant to Subsection D of this section, the owner of a vehicle may apply for the issuance of a heritage registration plate with personalized letters, numbers, characters or spaces, subject to the approval of the secretary. The fee shall be required only for the initial issuance of a personalized heritage registration plate for a specific theme.

          F. The secretary may provide for the issuance of souvenir heritage registration plates for the same fees charged for standard heritage registration plates, except no additional fee shall be charged for personalization.

          G. Except as provided in Subsection H of this section, revenue from the additional fees for a heritage registration plate is appropriated to the department.

          H. Revenue received from a heritage registration plate with the route 66 theme is appropriated to the department of transportation for the purpose of funding the revitalization and preservation of historic route 66 in New Mexico pursuant to the national scenic byways program.

          I. The department may promulgate rules for implementation of the provisions of this section.

          J. The secretary shall consult with other states to determine the most efficient, inexpensive and cost-effective method to implement this section, with a goal of making the plates affordable to all citizens, and with proceeds to benefit the division and not private organizations. As feasible, the director shall endeavor to incorporate the following design features into the logos of the heritage plates:

                (1) a green alien figure as used in the seal of the city of Roswell;

                (2) a circular representation of orbiting atomic molecules;

                (3) a depiction of the double eagle 2;

                (4) the logo of the New Mexico cattlemen's association if trademark permission can be obtained;

                (5) two boots with a cowboy hat and lariat or a depiction of Teddy Roosevelt or similar rough rider logo;

                (6) a head and upper torso of a helmeted figure, including usage of a traditional design if trademark permission can be obtained, for el Capitan, the de Anza motor lodge, the isotopes baseball team, the city of Albuquerque or other such source;

                (7) an accurate Gambel's quail, or head thereof, of larger and different design than the depiction currently used on New Mexico special plates. The current quail plate shall be used until current stock is exhausted and shall thereafter be discontinued;

                (8) an historic depiction of three grouped crosses;

                (9) a traditional six- or five-pointed star badge, with the words "Sheriff, 1881, Lincoln County, NM" written thereon;

                (10) the blue and white circular Santa Fe cross mark of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway, if copyright permission can be obtained;

                (11) the logo of the New Mexico railrunner or a depiction of a roadrunner bird;

                (12) the butterfly design logo as used by the all abilities park in Rio Rancho or similar design;

                (13) the black and white route 66 sign as used on special New Mexico motor vehicle registration plates. The current plate shall be discontinued once existing stock is exhausted, although the two plates may be simultaneously issued;

                (14) the logo of "Smokey bear" or the department of game and fish logo; and

                (15) a large red zia symbol of the size and design as used on the New Mexico centennial motor vehicle registration plates."

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