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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to specialty license plates; amending ss.

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320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.; creating the St. Johns

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River license plate; establishing an annual use fee for

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the plate; providing for the distribution of use fees

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received from the sale of such plates; providing an

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effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (mmm) is added to subsection (4) of

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section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     320.08056  Specialty license plates.--

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     (4)  The following license plate annual use fees shall be

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collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:

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     (mmm) St. Johns River license plate, $25.

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     Section 2.  Subsection (65) is added to section 320.08058,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     320.08058  Specialty license plates.--

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     (65) St. Johns River LICENSE PLATES.--

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     (a) Notwithstanding s. 320.08053, the department shall

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develop a St. Johns River license plate as provided in this

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section. The St. Johns River license plates must bear the colors

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and design approved by the department. The word "Florida" must

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appear at the top of the plate, and the words "The St. Johns

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River" must appear at the bottom of the plate.

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     (b) The requirements of s. 320.08053 must be met prior to

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the issuance of the plate. Thereafter, the license plate annual

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use fees shall be distributed to the St. Johns River Alliance,

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Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which shall administer

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the fees as follows:

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     1. The St. Johns River Alliance, Inc., shall retain the

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first $60,000 of the annual use fees as direct reimbursement for

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administrative costs, startup costs, and costs incurred in the

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development and approval process. Thereafter, up to 10 percent of

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the annual use fee revenue may be used for administrative costs

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directly associated with education programs, conservation,

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research, and grant administration of the organization and up to

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10 percent may be used for promotion and marketing of the

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specialty license plate.

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     2. At least 30 percent of the fees shall be available for

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competitive grants for targeted community-based or county-based

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research or projects for which state funding is limited or not

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currently available. The remaining 50 percent shall be directed

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toward community outreach and access programs. The competitive

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grants shall be administered and approved by the board of

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directors of the St. Johns River Alliance, Inc. A granting

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advisory committee shall be composed of six members chosen by the

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St. Johns River Alliance board members.

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     3. Any remaining funds shall be distributed with the

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approval of and accountability to the board of directors of the

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St. Johns River Alliance, Inc., and shall be used to support

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activities contributing to education, outreach, and springs

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conservation.

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     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.