AB 1091: Vehicles: license plates: 8-letter license plates.

5170.

The purpose of this article is to establish the Eight-Letter License Plate Program in order to provide revenue for the Natural and Agricultural Open Space and State Recreational Support Fund.

5171.

Any person who is the registered owner or lessee of a passenger vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer registered or certificated with the department, or who makes application for an original registration or renewal registration of that vehicle, may, upon payment of the fee prescribed in Section 5176, apply to the department for eight-letter license plates, in the manner prescribed in Section 5175, which plates shall be affixed to the passenger vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer for which registration is sought in lieu of regular license plates.

5172.

The eight-letter license plates shall be the same color and design as regular passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle, motorcycle, or trailer license plates, and shall consist of any combination of letters or numbers, not exceeding eight positions and not less than eight positions, if there are no conflicts with existing passenger, commercial, trailer, motorcycle, or special license plates series or with Section 4851.

5173.

As used in this article, “eight-letter license plates,” means license plates or permanent trailer identification plates that have displayed upon them the registration number assigned to the passenger vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer for which a registration number was issued in a combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the owner or lessee of the vehicle.

5174.

The eight-letter license plates shall be issued only to the registered owner or lessee of the vehicle on which they are to be displayed.

5175.

(a) An applicant for issuance of eight-letter license plates or renewal of those plates in the subsequent year, pursuant to this article, shall file an application therefor in the form and by the date that the department may require, indicating the combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested as a registration number. There shall be no duplication of registration numbers, and the department may refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers, or both, that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which would be misleading or a duplication of license plates provided for in Article 8 (commencing with Section 5000).

(b) The department may cancel and order the return of any eight-letter license plate before or after it is issued, containing any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines carries connotations offensive to good taste and decency or that would be misleading. When the department orders any person to return any eight-letter license plate, containing any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines carries connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which would be misleading, the person so ordered may, in writing and within 10 days after receiving the order, demand a hearing, which shall be granted. Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall apply to hearings provided for in this subdivision. A person ordered to return the plates shall either be reimbursed for any additional fees paid for the plates pursuant to Section 5176 or 5178 for the registration year in which they are recalled, or be given, at no additional cost, replacement eight-letter license plates, the issuance of which is in compliance with this code.

(c) The department may cancel and order the return of any eight-letter license plate, without opportunity to be heard, as specified in subdivision (b), if the license plate issued is a duplication of license plates provided for in Article 8 (commencing with Section 5000) or if the fee specified under subdivision (c) of Section 5176 has not been paid.

5176.

(a) In addition to the regular registration fee or a permanent trailer identification fee, the applicant shall be charged a fee of forty-eight dollars ($48) for issuance of eight-letter license plates.

(b) In addition to the regular renewal fee or a permanent trailer identification fee for the vehicle to which the plates are assigned, an applicant for a renewal of eight-letter license plates shall be charged an additional fee of thirty-eight dollars ($38). An applicant with a permanent trailer identification plate shall be charged an annual fee of thirty-eight dollars ($38) for renewal of eight-letter license plates.

(c) When payment of renewal fees is not required as specified in Section 4000, the holder of any eight-letter license plate may retain the plate upon payment of an annual fee of thirty-eight dollars ($38). The fee shall be due at the expiration of the registration year of the vehicle to which the eight-letter license plate was last assigned.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 9265, an applicant for a duplicate eight-letter license plate shall be charged a fee of thirty-eight dollars ($38).

5177.

(a) All revenue derived from the fees provided for in this article shall be deposited in the Natural and Agricultural Open Space and State Recreational Support Fund.

(b) Not more than fifty cents ($0.50) of the amount collected from each applicant pursuant to Section 5176 shall be set aside for use, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the appropriate agency for the purpose of increasing public awareness of the Eight-letter License Plate Program.

5178.

When a person who has been issued eight-letter license plates applies to the department for transfer of the plates to another passenger vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer, a transfer fee of thirty-eight dollars ($38) shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees.

5179.

When a person who has been issued eight-letter license plates sells, trades, or otherwise releases ownership of the vehicle upon which the eight-letter license plates have been displayed, that person shall immediately report the transfer of those plates to an acquired passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle, or trailer pursuant to Section 5178, unless the person determines to retain the plates pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5176.

5180.

(a) The director may adopt rules and regulations as necessary to carry out the purposes of this article.

(b) When two or more separate series of special plates are authorized under this article in a period of one year, the director shall coordinate the administrative and technical procedures for preparation and issuance of the plates in order to control costs to the maximum extent practicable.

5181.

(a) The department shall revise its internet website to provide a direct link on the home page to information on ordering eight-letter license plates.

(b) When existing supplies of forms, publications, and signs have been depleted, or if those forms, publications, and signs are required to be revised in the normal course of operations, the department shall include in the replenishing supplies or the revised forms, publications, and signs information regarding eight-letter license plates and the procedures for applying for those plates. This subdivision applies only to forms, publications, and signs that advertise, facilitate the application for, or are an application for eight-letter license plates.

5182.

The Natural and Agricultural Open Space and State Recreational Support Fund is hereby created. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the moneys in the Natural and Agricultural Open Space and State Recreational Support Fund are continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal year for all of the following purposes:

(a) Subventions for open-space land programs authorized pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 16140) of Part 1 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(b) Assistance to the Department of Food and Agriculture for California fairs, including the California Exposition and State Fair, county fairs, and citrus fruit fairs, and district agricultural associations pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 3101) of Part 1 of Division 3 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(c) Support of the Department of Parks and Recreation pursuant to Section 504 of the Public Resources Code.