GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1997 SESSION

SESSION LAW 1997-484

HOUSE BILL 1156

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES FOR SUPPORTERS OF THE MARCH OF DIMES, SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY, AND SCENIC RIVERS AND TO AUTHORIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGISTRATION PLATE FOR COMBAT VETERANS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(14a) March of Dimes. -- Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20-81.12.  The plate may bear a phrase or an insignia representing the March of Dimes Foundation."

Section 2.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision, to be inserted by the Revisor of Statutes in the appropriate alphabetical place, to read:

"( ) School Technology. - Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20-81.12.  The plate may bear a phrase or an insignia representing the public school system in North Carolina."

Section 2.1.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision, to be inserted by the Revisor of Statutes in the appropriate alphabetical place to read:

"( ) Scenic Rivers. -- Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle in accordance with G.S. 20-81.12.  The plate shall bear the words 'Scenic Rivers' and a picture representing the unique beauty of the scenic rivers of North Carolina."

Section 3.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(6b) Combat Veteran. -- Issuable to a veteran of the armed forces who served in a combat zone, or in waters adjacent to a combat zone, during a period of war and who was separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions.  The Division may not issue the plate authorized by this subdivision unless it receives at least 300 applications for the plate.  A 'period of war' is any of the following:

a. World War I, which began April 16, 1917, and ended November 11, 1918.

b. World War II, which began December 7, 1941, and ended December 31, 1946.

c. The Korean Conflict, which began June 27, 1950, and ended January 31, 1955.

d. The Vietnam Era, which began August 5, 1964, and ended May 7, 1975.

e. The Persian Gulf War.

f. Any other campaign, expedition, or engagement for which the United States Department of Defense authorizes a campaign badge or medal."

Section 4.  G.S. 20-79.7(a) reads as rewritten:

"(a)       Fees. - Upon request, the Division shall provide and issue free of charge one registration plate to a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, a 100% disabled veteran, and an ex-prisoner of war. 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

Historical Attraction                                                                 $30.00

State Attraction                                                                          $30.00

Collegiate Insignia                                                                     $25.00

Olympic Games                                                                         $25.00

Special Olympics                                                                       $25.00

March of Dimes $20.00

Scenic Rivers $20.00

School Technology $20.00

Wildlife Resources                                                                   $20.00

Personalized                                                                               $20.00

Active Member of the National Guard                                      None

All Other Special Plates                                                            $10.00."

Section 5.  G.S. 20-79.7(b) reads as rewritten:

"(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) among the Special Registration Plate Account (SRPA), the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA), and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund (NHTF), which is established under G.S. 113-77.7, as follows:

Special Plate SRPA CCAPA NHTF

Historical Attraction                                                 $10               $20                    0

In-State Collegiate Insignia                                      $10               $15                    0

Out-of-state Collegiate Insignia                              $10               0                       $15

Personalized                                                              $10               0                       $10

Special Olympics                                                      $10               $15                    0

Olympic Games                                                         $10               $15                    0

State Attraction                                                         $10               $20                    0

March of Dimes $10 $10 0

Scenic Rivers $10 $10 0

School Technology $10 $10 0

Wildlife Resources                                                   $10               $10                    0

All other Special Plates                                            $10               0                       0."

Section 6.  G.S. 20-81.12 is amended by adding three new subsections to read:

"(b5) March of Dimes Plates. -- The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a March of Dimes 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 March of Dimes plates to the Eastern Carolina Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.  The Eastern Carolina Chapter shall disperse the revenue proportionately among the Eastern Carolina Chapter, the Western Carolina Chapter, the Greater Triad Chapter, and the Greater Piedmont Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation based upon the population of the area each Chapter represents.  The money must be used for the prevention of birth defects through local community services and educational programs and through research and development.

(b6) School Technology Plates. -- The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a School Technology 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 School Technology plates to the State School Technology Fund, which is established under G.S. 115C-102.6D.

(b7) Scenic Rivers Plates. -- The Division must receive 300 or more applications for a Scenic Rivers 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 Scenic Rivers plates to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund established in G.S. 113-45.3."

Section 7.  G.S. 115C-102.6D(a) reads as rewritten:

"(a)       There is established under the control and direction of the State Board of Education the State School Technology Fund.  This fund shall be a nonreverting special revenue fund consisting of any monies appropriated to it by the General Assembly. Assembly and any monies credited to it under G.S. 20-81.12 from the sale of School Technology special license plates."

Section 8.  This act is effective when it becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 28th day of August, 1997.

s/   Marc Basnight

President Pro Tempore of the Senate

s/   Harold J. Brubaker

Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/   James B. Hunt, Jr.

Governor

Approved 11:02 a.m. this 10th day of September, 1997