| 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 a Protect Florida |
| 4 | Springs license plate; establishing an annual use fee for |
| 5 | the plate; providing for the distribution of use fees |
| 6 | received from the sale of such plates; providing an |
| 7 | effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Section 1. Paragraph (iii) is added to subsection (4) of |
| 12 | section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 13 | 320.08056 Specialty license plates.-- |
| 14 | (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be |
| 15 | collected for the appropriate specialty license plates: |
| 16 | (iii) Protect Florida Springs license plate, $25. |
| 17 | Section 2. Subsection (61) is added to section 320.08058, |
| 18 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 19 | 320.08058 Specialty license plates.-- |
| 20 | (61) PROTECT FLORIDA SPRINGS LICENSE PLATES.-- |
| 21 | (a) The department shall develop a Protect Florida Springs |
| 22 | license plate as provided in this section. Protect Florida |
| 23 | Springs license plates must bear the colors and design approved |
| 24 | by the department. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of |
| 25 | the plate, and the words "Protect Florida Springs" must appear |
| 26 | at the bottom of the plate. |
| 27 | (b) The license plate annual use fees shall be distributed |
| 28 | to Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Inc., a citizen support |
| 29 | organization created pursuant to s. 372.0215, which shall |
| 30 | administer the fees as follows: |
| 31 | 1. Wildlife Trust of Florida, Inc., shall retain the first |
| 32 | $60,000 in proceeds from the annual use fees as direct |
| 33 | reimbursement for administrative costs, startup costs, and costs |
| 34 | incurred in the development and approval process. Thereafter, up |
| 35 | to 15 percent of the funds may be used for continuing promotion |
| 36 | and marketing of the license plate, and up to 10 percent of the |
| 37 | funds may be used for administrative costs directly associated |
| 38 | with education programs, conservation, springs research, and |
| 39 | grant administration of Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Inc. |
| 40 | 2. At least 55 percent of the funds shall be available in |
| 41 | the form of competitive grants, with highest priority given to |
| 42 | community-based springs programs and projects specifically |
| 43 | related to education, outreach, and springs protection. Springs |
| 44 | research not eligible for funding elsewhere that addresses |
| 45 | specific conservation and management needs may be considered. |
| 46 | 3. Up to 20 percent of the funds shall be distributed to |
| 47 | Wildlife Trust of Florida, Inc., for competitive grants and |
| 48 | support for the Wildlife Trust's Florida springs conservation |
| 49 | and research activities specifically to collect, analyze, |
| 50 | archive, and publish scientific data regarding the state's |
| 51 | springs, their associated habitats and recharge areas, and the |
| 52 | diversity of species that use them; to train teachers and |
| 53 | students about the importance of Florida's springs; to develop |
| 54 | and support public educational opportunities and materials aimed |
| 55 | at increasing the understanding of the economic and biological |
| 56 | importance of protecting Florida's springs; to develop new |
| 57 | technologies enabling a better understanding of spring ecology; |
| 58 | to support spring enhancement and restoration; to conduct |
| 59 | research on economic benefits of the state's springs; and to |
| 60 | implement programs that seek objective, common-sense, scientific |
| 61 | solutions to the complex issues associated with protecting and |
| 62 | managing Florida springs. |
| 63 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |