HB 0605 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to specialty license plates; amending ss.
3	320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.; creating the Discover
4	Florida's Oceans license plate; providing for the
5	distribution of annual use fees received from the sale of
6	such plates; providing an effective date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1. Paragraph (ss) is added to subsection (4) of
11	section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:
12	320.08056 Specialty license plates.--
13	(4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be
14	collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
15	(ss) Discover Florida's Oceans license plate, $25.
16	Section 2. Subsection (45) is added to section 320.08058,
17	Florida Statutes, to read:
18	320.08058 Specialty license plates.--
19	(45) DISCOVER FLORIDA'S OCEANS LICENSE PLATES.--
20	(a) The department shall develop a Discover Florida's
21	Oceans license plate as provided in this section. Discover
22	Florida's Oceans license plates must bear the colors and design
23	approved by the department. The word "Florida" must appear at
24	the top of the plate, and the words "Discover Florida's Oceans"
25	must appear at the bottom of the plate.
26	(b) The department shall retain all revenues from the sale
27	of such plates until all startup costs for developing and
28	issuing the plates are recovered, not to exceed $60,000.
29	Thereafter, the proceeds of the annual use fee shall be
30	distributed to the Hubbs Florida Ocean Fund, a 501(c)(3) public
31	charity, for the specific purpose of administering the annual
32	use fees received from the sale of the plates as follows:
33	1. Twenty percent of the funds received by the Hubbs
34	Florida Ocean Fund shall be distributed to the Wildlife
35	Foundation of Florida, Inc., to be used for ocean, estuarine, or
36	coastal scientific research, conservation, and education
37	projects.
38	2. Up to 10 percent of the funds received by the Hubbs
39	Florida Ocean Fund may be used for administrative costs directly
40	associated with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute research,
41	conservation, and education programs and the Discover Florida's
42	Oceans license plate.
43	3. Up to 15 percent of the funds received by the Hubbs
44	Florida Ocean Fund may be used for continuing promotion and
45	marketing of the license plate.
46	4. The remainder of the funds received by the Hubbs
47	Florida Ocean Fund shall be used to collect, analyze, archive,
48	and publish scientific data regarding Florida's ocean, estuary,
49	and coastal habitats and species that inhabit, utilize, or
50	migrate in state waters or along the state's coastal areas; to
51	provide response, care, assistance, and research as part of
52	Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute's statewide role in responding
53	to and archiving data on stranded marine species; to construct
54	and maintain a marine and coastal research center in association
55	with the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge on lands donated
56	to Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute by the Richard King Mellon
57	Foundation; to train teachers and students to enhance scientific
58	literacy, scientific research competency, and technology
59	development; to conduct ocean-space aquatic research and
60	scientific research focused on ocean observations from space; to
61	conduct research on economic benefits of the state's ocean,
62	estuary, and coastal resources and public use of those
63	resources; to create research and education programs that
64	contribute to the development of the state's knowledge
65	infrastructure and diversify the economy; and to implement
66	programs that seek objective, common-sense, scientific solutions
67	to the complex marine and coastal ecological problems facing the
68	state.
69	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.