1

2

An act relating to license plates; amending ss. 320.08056

3

and 320.08058, F.S.; creating a Florida Tennis license

4

plate; creating a Lighthouse Association license plate;

5

creating an In God We Trust license plate; creating a

6

Horse Country license plate; providing for the

7

distribution of annual use fees received from the sale of

8

such plates; providing an effective date.

9

10

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

11

12

     Section 1.  Paragraphs (mmm), (nnn), (ooo), and (ppp) are

13

added to subsection (4) of section 320.08056, Florida Statutes,

14

to read:

15

     320.08056  Specialty license plates.--

16

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

17

collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:

18

     (mmm) Florida Tennis license plate, $25.

19

     (nnn) Lighthouse Association license plate, $25.

20

     (ooo) In God We Trust license plate, $25.

21

     (ppp) Horse Country license plate, $25.

22

     Section 2.  Subsections (65), (66), (67), and (68) are added

23

to section 320.08058, Florida Statutes, to read:

24

     320.08058  Specialty license plates.--

25

     (65) FLORIDA TENNIS LICENSE PLATES.--

26

     (a) The department shall develop a Florida Tennis license

27

plate as provided in this section. The word "Florida" must appear

28

at the top of the plate and the words "Play Tennis" must appear

29

at the bottom of the plate. The United States Tennis Association

30

Florida Section Foundation may submit a revised sample plate for

31

consideration by the department.

32

     (b) The department shall distribute the annual use fees to

33

the Florida Sports Foundation, a direct-support organization of

34

the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. The

35

license plate annual use fees shall be annually allocated as

36

follows:

37

     1. Up to 5 percent of the proceeds from the annual use fees

38

may be used by the Florida Sports Foundation to administer the

39

license plate program.

40

     2. The United States Tennis Association Florida Section

41

shall receive the first $60,000 in proceeds from the annual use

42

fees to reimburse it for startup costs, administrative costs, and

43

other costs it incurs in the development and approval process.

44

     3. Up to 5 percent of the proceeds from the annual use fees

45

may be used for promoting and marketing the license plates. The

46

remaining proceeds shall be available for grants by the United

47

States Tennis Association Florida Section Foundation to nonprofit

48

organizations to operate youth tennis programs and adaptive

49

tennis programs for special populations of all ages, and for

50

building, renovating, and maintaining public tennis courts.

51

     (c) All grant recipients shall provide to the United States

52

Tennis Association Florida Section Foundation an annual program

53

and financial report regarding the use of grant funds. Such

54

reports shall be made available to the public.

55

     (66) LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATION LICENSE PLATES.--

56

     (a) The department shall develop a Lighthouse Association

57

license plate as provided in this section. The word "Florida"

58

must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Visit Our

59

Lights" must appear at the bottom of the plate.

60

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

61

Lighthouse Association, Inc., which may use a maximum of 10

62

percent of the proceeds to promote and market the plates. The

63

remaining proceeds shall be used by the association to fund the

64

preservation, restoration, and protection of the 29 historic

65

lighthouses remaining in the state.

66

     (67) IN GOD WE TRUST LICENSE PLATES.--

67

     (a) The department shall develop an In God We Trust license

68

plate as provided in this section. However, the requirements of

69

s. 320.08053 must be met before the plates are issued. In God We

70

Trust license plates must bear the colors and design approved by

71

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

72

plate, and the words "In God We Trust" must appear in the body of

73

the plate.

74

     (b) The license plate annual use fees shall be distributed

75

to the In God We Trust Foundation, Inc., to fund educational

76

scholarships for the children of Florida residents who are

77

members of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard,

78

and the United States Armed Forces Reserve and for the children

79

of public safety employees who have died in the line of duty who

80

are not covered by existing state law. Funds shall also be

81

distributed to other 501(c)(3) organizations that may apply for

82

grants and scholarships and to provide educational grants to

83

public and private schools to promote the historical and

84

religious significance of American and Florida history. The In

85

God We Trust Foundation, Inc., shall distribute the license plate

86

annual use fees in the following manner:

87

     1. The In God We Trust Foundation, Inc., shall retain all

88

revenues from the sale of such plates until all startup costs for

89

developing and establishing the plate have been recovered.

90

     2. Ten percent of the funds received by the In God We Trust

91

Foundation, Inc., shall be expended for administrative costs,

92

promotion, and marketing of the license plate directly associated

93

with the operations of the In God We Trust Foundation, Inc.

94

     3. All remaining funds shall be expended by the In God We

95

Trust Foundation, Inc., for programs.

96

     (68) HORSE COUNTRY LICENSE PLATES.--

97

     (a) Notwithstanding s. 320.08053, the department shall

98

develop a Horse Country license plate as provided in this

99

section. Horse Country license plates must bear the colors and

100

design approved by the department. The word "Florida" must appear

101

at the top of the plate, and the words "Horse Country" must

102

appear at the bottom of the plate.

103

     (b) The requirements of s. 320.08053 must be met prior to

104

the issuance of the plate. Thereafter, the license plate annual

105

use fees shall be distributed to PCMI Properties, Inc., to fund

106

programs involved in the rehabilitation of at-risk youth as

107

directed by the Board of Trustees of PCMI Properties, Inc. Such

108

funds may be used to provide educational materials, athletic

109

equipment, transportation, food, medical services, counseling,

110

scholarships, and other direct administrative and program

111

expenses. The funds may also be used as grants for expansion of

112

youth rehabilitation programs in the state. Special consideration

113

shall be given to programs using horses and other livestock in

114

the efforts to redirect at-risk youth. PCMI Properties, Inc., may

115

retain all revenue from the annual use fees until all startup

116

costs for developing and establishing the plate have been

117

recovered. Thereafter, up to 10 percent of the annual use fee

118

revenue may be used for promotion and marketing of the plate, and

119

as necessary for annual audit or compliance affidavit costs.

120

     Section 3.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2008.