House Bill hb1171c1

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002             CS/HB 1171

        By the Council for Ready Infrastructure and Representative
    Harrell





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to license plates; amending s.

  3         320.08056, F.S.; providing an annual use fee;

  4         amending s. 320.08058, F.S.; revising the date

  5         after which a newly created collegiate license

  6         plate is subject to the requirements of s.

  7         320.08053, F.S.; creating a Protect Florida

  8         Whales specialty license plate; providing for

  9         the distribution of the use fees received;

10         providing an effective date.

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

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14         Section 1.  Paragraph (hh) is added to subsection (4)

15  of section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter

16  2001-355, Laws of Florida, to read:

17         320.08056  Specialty license plates.--

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

19  be collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:

20         (hh)  Protect Florida Whales license plate, $25.

21         Section 2.  Subsection (3) of section 320.08058,

22  Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2001-355, Laws of

23  Florida, is amended, and subsection (34) is added to said

24  section, to read:

25         320.08058  Specialty license plates.--

26         (3)  COLLEGIATE LICENSE PLATES.--

27         (a)  The department shall develop a collegiate license

28  plate as provided in this section for state and independent

29  universities domiciled in this state. However, any collegiate

30  license plate created or established after October 1, 2002

31  January 1, 1997, must comply with the requirements of s.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002             CS/HB 1171

    401-130-02






  1  320.08053 and be specifically authorized by an act of the

  2  Legislature. Collegiate license plates must bear the colors

  3  and design approved by the department as appropriate for each

  4  state and independent university.  The word "Florida" must be

  5  stamped across the bottom of the plate in small letters.

  6         (b)  A collegiate plate annual use fee is to be

  7  distributed to the state or independent university foundation

  8  designated by the purchaser for deposit in an unrestricted

  9  account.  The Board of Regents shall require each state

10  university to submit a plan for approval of the expenditure of

11  all funds so designated.  These funds may be used only for

12  academic enhancement, including scholarships and private

13  fundraising activities.

14         (34)  PROTECT FLORIDA WHALES LICENSE PLATES.--

15         (a)  The department shall develop a Protect Florida

16  Whales license plate as provided in this section. The word

17  "Florida" shall appear at the top of the plate, and the words

18  "Protect Florida Whales" shall appear at the bottom of the

19  plate.

20         (b)  The annual use fees shall be distributed to the

21  Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc., to fund whale

22  research, rehabilitation, and education programs. Up to 15

23  percent of the funds received by the institution may be used

24  for administrative costs directly associated with the Harbor

25  Branch Oceanographic Institution's Marine Mammal Research and

26  Conservation program and this specialty license plate funding.

27  Up to 10 percent of the funds may be used for continuing

28  promotion and marketing of the license plate. Ten percent of

29  the funds shall be distributed to the Wyland Foundation, Inc.,

30  and used specifically to conduct educational programs in this

31  state which promote conservation of Florida marine mammals.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002             CS/HB 1171

    401-130-02






  1  The remainder of the funds shall be used to collect, analyze,

  2  and archive scientific data regarding whale populations that

  3  inhabit, utilize, or migrate in state waters; provide care and

  4  assistance to stranded whales; construct and maintain a

  5  Harbor-Branch-based teaching marine mammal hospital; train

  6  veterinary students in the rescue, medical and rehabilitation

  7  treatment, and release and postrelease monitoring of stranded

  8  whales; distribute information for the purpose of protecting

  9  and preserving whales; identify whale populations; conduct

10  scientific research through genetic, telemetry, bioacoustical,

11  and photographic identification research programs; advance the

12  research technology associated with tracking, monitoring, and

13  categorizing whales; develop methods of monitoring whale

14  movements; and provide for methods of early-warning detection

15  systems and advance notification that will help prevent

16  accidental boat strikes in state waters.

17         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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