Sec. 14-19a. Regulations re issuance of special number plates to members of qualifying organizations. Issuance and renewal of collegiate special number plates. Discontinuance of special number plates.
               	 		
      Sec. 14-19a. Regulations re issuance of special number plates to members of 
qualifying organizations. Issuance and renewal of collegiate special number plates. 
Discontinuance of special number plates. (a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles 
shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish (1) 
standards for the issuance of a special certificate of registration and special number 
plates to a member of an organization which qualifies for issuance, (2) qualifications 
of organizations whose members wish to apply for such special registrations, (3) procedures for application for such special registration, and (4) a fee for such special number 
plates which shall cover at least the entire cost of making the plates and which shall be 
in addition to the fee for registration of the motor vehicle. The regulations shall provide 
that a labor union shall be a qualifying organization.
      (b) The Department of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Board of Governors 
of the Department of Higher Education, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 
provisions of chapter 54, to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of collegiate 
special number plates with the logos or emblems of Connecticut public and independent 
institutions of higher education to individuals who meet the requirements established 
by the regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection. The regulations shall: (1) Establish the criteria necessary for a Connecticut institution of higher education to be eligible 
to have a special number plate issued with the logo or emblem of the institution; (2) 
provide for the issuance or renewal of such a plate upon the receipt of a form certified 
by the institution that a contribution of at least fifty dollars was made to a scholarship 
fund or scholarship account at such an institution prior to each such issuance and renewal. 
Each such renewal shall occur at the time of each renewal of the motor vehicle's registration; (3) the fee established in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section; (4) any 
registration fee required by the commissioner pursuant to section 14-12; and (5) any 
additional information or fees required by the commissioner. All contributions to the 
scholarship fund or scholarship account of a participating institution of higher education 
shall be distributed on the basis of financial need.
      (c) On or after July 1, 2004, the commissioner may issue special certificates of 
registration and special number plates in accordance with the regulations adopted under 
subsection (a) of this section provided he may not issue a set of special number plates 
bearing the same numerals as any other plate issued by the department. The commissioner may discontinue the issuance of any such special number plates issued for a 
qualified organization, or special plates issued in accordance with the provisions of 
sections 14-21f to 14-21p, inclusive, at any time, upon written notice to the organization 
if, in the opinion of the commissioner, the demand for such plates is insufficient to 
support the costs of production.
      (P.A. 90-236, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-275; P.A. 93-341, S. 3; P.A. 97-236, S. 4, 27; P.A. 04-199, S. 5.)
      History: P.A. 91-275 inserted new Subdiv. (b) requiring the department to adopt regulations for the issuance of special 
number plates with the logos or emblems or Connecticut public and independent institutions of higher education, relettered 
former Subsec. (b) as (c) and restated its provisions; P.A. 93-341 amended Subsec. (b) by providing for the renewal of 
collegiate special number plates and by providing that the plates may be obtained by any "individuals who meet the 
requirements established by the regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection", amended Subdiv. (2) by requiring $50 
donation to a scholarship fund or scholarship account at the institution of higher education prior to each issuance and 
renewal of plates and specifying that renewal would occur when motor vehicle's registration was renewed; P.A. 97-236 
amended Subsec. (a) to require that regulations provide that a labor union be a qualifying organization, effective June 24, 
1997; P.A. 04-199 amended Subsec. (c) to change from mandatory to permissive issuance of special certificates of registration and special number plates and to permit commissioner to discontinue issuance of special number plates if demand 
insufficient to support costs to produce, effective July 1, 2004.