Senate Bill sb1298

    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1298

    By Senator Carlton





    23-400A-03                                          See HB 151

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to specialty license plates;

  3         amending ss. 320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.;

  4         creating the Protect Our Reefs license plate;

  5         providing for the distribution of annual use

  6         fees received from the sale of such plates;

  7         providing for audit by the Auditor General;

  8         providing an effective date.

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

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12         Section 1.  Paragraph (mm) is added to subsection (4)

13  of section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:

14         320.08056  Specialty license plates.--

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

16  be collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:

17         (mm)  Protect Our Reefs license plate, $25.

18         Section 2.  Subsection (39) is added to section

19  320.08058, Florida Statutes, to read:

20         320.08058  Specialty license plates.--

21         (39)  PROTECT OUR REEFS LICENSE PLATES.--

22         (a)  The department shall develop a Protect Our Reefs

23  license plate as provided in this section. Protect Our Reefs

24  license plates must bear the colors and design approved by the

25  department. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the

26  plate, and the words "Protect Our Reefs" must appear at the

27  bottom of the plate.

28         (b)  The proceeds of the annual use fee shall be

29  distributed to Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc., to fund Florida

30  reef research, conservation, and education programs. Up to 15

31  percent of the funds received by Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc.,

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1298
    23-400A-03                                          See HB 151




  1  may be expended for annual administrative costs directly

  2  associated with the administration of the Protect Our Reefs

  3  program. Up to 10 percent of the funds received by Mote Marine

  4  Laboratory, Inc., may be used by Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc.,

  5  for the continuing promotion and marketing of the license

  6  plate. After reimbursement for documented costs expended in

  7  the establishment of the plate, Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc.,

  8  shall use and distribute the remaining funds to eligible

  9  Florida-based scientific, conservation, and education

10  organizations for the collection, analysis, and distribution

11  of scientific, educational, and conservation information to

12  the research community; federal, state, and local government

13  agencies; educational institutions; and the public. Eligible

14  organizations shall be based in Florida and engaged in reef

15  research, conservation, or education.

16         (c)  The state Auditor General may examine any records

17  of Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc., and any other organization

18  that receives funds from the sale of the Protect Our Reefs

19  license plate, to determine compliance with law.

20         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.