GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 588

Short Title:        Carolina Panthers Special Registration Plate.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Earle, Jeter, Cunningham, and Bishop (Primary Sponsors). For a complete list of Sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly Web Site.
Referred to:	Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

April 6, 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to change the design and cost of the special registration plate authorized for the carolina panthers.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑63(b1) reads as rewritten:

"(b1)    The following special registration plates do not have to be a "First in Flight" plate or "First in Freedom" plate as provided in subsection (b) of this section. The design of the plates that are not "First in Flight" plates or "First in Freedom" plates must be developed in accordance with G.S. 20‑79.4(a3). For special plates authorized in G.S. 20‑79.7 on or after July 1, 2013, the Division may not issue the plate on a background under this subsection unless it receives at least 200 applications for the plate in addition to the applications required under G.S. 20‑79.4 or G.S. 20‑81.12.

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(48)      Alpha Phi Alpha.

(49) Carolina Panthers."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑79.4(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b)      Types. – The Division shall issue the following types of special registration plates:

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() Carolina Panthers. – Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20‑81.12. The plate shall bear the phrase "Keep Pounding", the logo of the Carolina Panthers, and the letters "CP". The Division shall not develop a plate under this subdivision without a license to use copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The Division shall not pay a royalty for the license to use the copyrighted or registered words, symbols, trademarks, or designs associated with the plate. The plate authorized by this subdivision is not subject to the provisions of G.S. 20‑79.3A or G.S. 20‑79.8.

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SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑79.7 reads as rewritten:

"§ 20‑79.7.  Fees for special registration plates and distribution of the fees.

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(a1)      Fees. – All other special registration plates are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee in G.S. 20‑87 or G.S. 20‑88 plus an additional fee in the following amount:

Special Plate Additional Fee Amount

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Brenner Children's Hospital                                                             $30.00

Carolina Panthers $30.00

Carolina Raptor Center                                                                   $30.00

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(b)        Distribution of Fees. – The Special Registration Plate Account and the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account are established within the Highway Fund. The Division must credit the additional fee imposed for the special registration plates listed in subsection (a) of this section among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), which is established under G.S. 113A‑253, and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, which is established under G.S. 113‑44.15, as follows:

Special Plate SRPA CCAPA CWMTF PRTF

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Buffalo Soldiers                                             $10                  $15                     0                     0

Carolina Panthers $10 $20 0 0

Carolina Raptor Center                                  $10                  $20                     0                     0

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…."

SECTION 4.  G.S. 20‑81.12 reads as rewritten:

"§ 20‑81.12.  Collegiate insignia plates and certain other special plates.

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(b148)  North Carolina Paddle Festival. – The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a North Carolina Paddle Festival plate before the plate may be developed. The Division shall transfer quarterly the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of North Carolina Paddle Festival plates to the Friends of the Hammocks and Bear Island, Inc.

(b149) Carolina Panthers. – The Division shall transfer quarterly one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of Carolina Panthers plates to the Keep Pounding Fund of the Carolinas Healthcare Foundation, Inc., to be used to support cancer research at the Carolinas Medical Center, and shall transfer quarterly one‑half of the money in the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account derived from the sale of the Carolina Panthers plates to the Carolina Panthers Charities Fund of the Foundation for the Carolinas to be used to create new athletic opportunities for children, support their educational needs, and promote healthy lifestyles for families.

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SECTION 5.  The Revisor of Statutes is authorized to alphabetize, number, and renumber the special registration plates listed in G.S. 20‑79.4(b) to ensure that all the special registration plates are listed in alphabetical order and numbered accordingly.

SECTION 6.  The Division of Motor Vehicles shall not issue, and shall not produce, any more special registration plates developed for the Carolina Panthers under the authority in G.S. 20‑79.4(b)(185).

SECTION 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2015.