Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 246
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì3531944Î353194                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  01/21/2026           .                                
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       The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and
       Economic Development (Gruters) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete line 33
    4  and insert:
    5         (137) REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA AND FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC
    6  PARTY LICENSE PLATES.—
    7         (a) Notwithstanding the presale voucher requirements in s.
    8  320.08053(2)(b) and the limitation on the number of specialty
    9  license plates that may be issued by the department under s.
   10  320.08053(3)(b), the department shall develop a Republican Party
   11  of Florida license plate and a Florida Democratic Party license
   12  plate. The word “Florida” must appear at the top of the plates,
   13  and the words “I VOTE” must appear at the bottom of the plates.
   14  The plates must bear the colors and designs approved by the
   15  department. The official logo of the Republican Party of Florida
   16  or the Florida Democratic Party, as provided by the respective
   17  political party, must appear in the center of the plates, as
   18  applicable.
   19         (b) Upon application, the department shall issue a
   20  Republican Party of Florida or Florida Democratic Party license
   21  plate, as applicable, to a person who meets all of the following
   22  requirements:
   23         1. The person is the owner or lessee of a motor vehicle
   24  that is not used for hire or commercial use.
   25         2. The person provides payment of the applicable license
   26  tax and fees with his or her personal funds.
   27         3. The person certifies to the department that he or she
   28  is:
   29         a. A United States citizen;
   30         b. A registered voter in this state; and
   31         c. Not a Federal Government contractor.
   32         (c) The annual use fees from the sale of the Republican
   33  Party of Florida license plate shall be distributed to the
   34  Republican Party of Florida, and the annual use fees from the
   35  sale of the Florida Democratic Party license plate shall be
   36  distributed to the Florida Democratic Party.
   37         (d) A political party receiving annual use fees under this
   38  subsection:
   39         1. Must create a separate account for the deposit of such
   40  fees, but may transfer funds from that account to other accounts
   41  of the political party in accordance with state and federal law.
   42         2. May use up to 25 percent of such fees for administrative
   43  and compliance costs associated with the plate and for marketing
   44  and promotion of the plate, which may not identify any candidate
   45  for federal, state, district, county, or municipal office. The
   46  balance of such fees may be used for any of the following
   47  purposes:
   48         a. To defray political party administrative costs,
   49  including, but not limited to, building maintenance, staff
   50  salaries, legal fees, accounting and compliance costs, office
   51  equipment and supplies, postage, and the purchase, lease, or
   52  maintenance of computer hardware and software.
   53         b. Voter registration activity.
   54         c. Voter identification activity.
   55         d. Get-out-the-vote activity.
   56         e. Generic campaign activity that promotes or opposes a
   57  political party but does not promote or oppose a clearly
   58  identified candidate for public office.
   59         3. May not use such fees to make an allocable contribution
   60  to any candidate for federal, state, district, county, or
   61  municipal office; another political party; or any political
   62  committee.
   63         (e) Annual use fees provided to a political party under
   64  this subsection are not a contribution to the political party
   65  under chapter 106.
   66         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
   67  
   68  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   69  And the title is amended as follows:
   70         Delete line 7
   71  and insert:
   72         from the sale of the plate; directing the department
   73         to develop Republican Party of Florida and Florida
   74         Democratic Party license plates; specifying design
   75         requirements for the plates; requiring the department
   76         to issue such plates to persons who meet certain
   77         requirements, upon application; providing for
   78         distribution of fees collected from the sale of the
   79         plates; requiring certain political parties to create
   80         a separate account for deposit of such annual use
   81         fees; authorizing certain uses for such annual use
   82         fees; prohibiting certain uses for such annual use
   83         fees; providing construction; providing an effective