HOUSE BILL 251
56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024
INTRODUCED BY
Mark Duncan and Luis M. Terrazas and Patricia A. Lundstrom
and Harlan Vincent and William F. Burt
AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; PROVIDING THAT SPECIAL REGISTRATION LOGOS SHALL BE MADE AS ATTACHABLE DECALS AND STANDARDIZED SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES SHALL BE MADE WITH A BLANK SPACE TO ATTACH A LOGO; DEPLETING EXISTING MANUFACTURED PLATES BEFORE CREATING ATTACHABLE LOGOS; REQUIRING THE MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION OF THE TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR A LICENSE TO USE THE SMOKEY BEAR IMAGE AND NAME; PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A SMOKEY BEAR FIRE PREVENTION SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 172, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 174, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 175, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 176, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 177, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 178, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 179, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 180, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 181, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 197, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 198, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 201, Section 1 and Laws 2003, Chapter 211, Section 1 and also Laws 2003, Chapter 212, Section 1) is amended to read:
"66-3-424. STANDARDIZED SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES [WITH]--ATTACHABLE 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. Logos shall be made as attachable decals, and the standardized special registration plates shall be made with a blank space for a logo to be attached. For special registration plates manufactured pursuant to this section before June 16, 2024, any remaining supply of the manufactured plates shall be depleted before developing and issuing attachable 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 is
enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] SPECIAL SMOKEY BEAR FIRE PREVENTION REGISTRATION PLATE.--
A. The division shall apply for a long-term license
from the United States department of agriculture forest service
to use the image and name of Smokey Bear on a standardized special registration plate to raise fire prevention awareness and to raise money for state forest fire prevention efforts.
B. Upon finalizing a license agreement pursuant to Subsection A of this section, the division shall issue a standardized Smokey Bear fire prevention special registration
plate with a logo designed pursuant to Section 66-3-424 NMSA 1978 indicating that the recipient supports forest fire prevention awareness.
C. 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 a Smokey Bear fire prevention awareness special registration plate. The vehicle owner shall pay a renewal fee of forty dollars ($40.00) each year to retain and renew the Smokey Bear forest fire prevention special registration plate.
D. After payment for any licensing fee required for the use of the Smokey Bear name or image, the revenue from the additional fee for a Smokey Bear fire prevention special registration plate shall be distributed as follows:
(1) ten dollars ($10.00) of the initial fee collected shall be retained by and is appropriated to the department to defray the cost of making and issuing the special registration plate with the Smokey Bear logo; and
(2) the remaining portion of the initial registration fee and the entire portion of subsequent renewal fees remaining after payment of licensing fees shall be distributed to the energy, minerals and natural resources department for forest fire prevention."
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2024.