§ 304b - Conservation motor vehicle registration plates
§ 304b. Conservation motor vehicle registration plates
(a) The commissioner shall, upon application, issue conservation registration plates for use only on vehicles registered at the pleasure car rate and on trucks registered for less than 26,001 pounds, on vehicles registered to state agencies under section 376 of this title and excluding vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan. Plates so acquired shall be mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle. The commissioner of motor vehicles and the commissioner of fish and wildlife shall determine the graphic design of the special plates in a manner which serves to enhance the public awareness of the state's interest in restoring and protecting its wildlife and major watershed areas. The commissioner of motor vehicles and the commissioner of fish and wildlife may alter the graphic design of these special plates provided that plates in use at the time of a design alteration shall remain valid subject to the operator's payment of the annual registration fee. Applicants shall apply on forms prescribed by the commissioner and shall pay an initial fee of $23.00 in addition to the annual fee for registration. In following years, in addition to the annual registration fee, the holder of a conservation plate shall pay a renewal fee of $23.00. The commissioner shall adopt rules under 3 V.S.A. chapter 25 to implement the provisions of this subsection. The commissioner of motor vehicles and the commissioner of fish and wildlife shall annually submit to the members of the house committees on transportation and fish, wildlife and water resources, and the members of the senate committees on transportation and natural resources and energy a report detailing, over a three-year period, the revenue generated, the number of new conservation plates sold and the number of renewals, and recommendations for program enhancements.
(b) Initial fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1) $11.00 to the transportation fund.
(2) $6.00 to the department of fish and wildlife for deposit into the nongame wildlife account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4048.
(3) $6.00 to the department of fish and wildlife for deposit into the watershed management account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4050.
(c) Renewal fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1) $10.00 to the department of fish and wildlife for deposit into the nongame wildlife account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4048.
(2) $10.00 to the department of fish and wildlife for deposit into the watershed management account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4050.
(3) $3.00 to the transportation fund. (Added 1995, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 14, eff. May 22, 1996; amended 1997, No. 59, § 73, eff. June 30, 1997; 1997, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2003, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), § 63, eff. June 9, 2004; 2005, No. 58, § 1; 2009, No. 50, § 38.)