Under current law, a group or organization that meets certain criteria may
apply to DOT for designation as an authorized special group. If the application is
approved, members of the authorized special group may obtain special registration
plates for certain vehicles, including automobiles and motor homes, that are owned
or leased by special group members. Before October 2, 1998, authorized special
groups whose members may obtain special plates were specifically enumerated in
state law. With certain exceptions, current law provides that specific enumeration
in state law of authorized special groups is limited to those special groups
enumerated before October 2, 1998. A fee, in addition to the regular registration fee
for the particular kind of vehicle, is charged for the issuance or reissuance of most
special plates. For some special plates, members of the applicable special group pay
an additional fee with each registration renewal that provides funding to a specified
organization, and this additional fee is tax deductible as a charitable contribution to
the extent permitted by law.
This bill establishes an authorized special group specifically enumerated in
state law for persons interested in obtaining special plates expressing support for the
Boy Scouts of America. In addition to the regular vehicle registration fee, special
group members are required to pay a $15 fee for issuance or reissuance of the special
plates and to annually include payment of $25 that provides funds to the Boy Scouts
of America National Foundation for distribution to local councils located in this state.
The bill requires the special plates to display the words "Scouting Alumni" and, at
the option of the vehicle owner, either a logo or symbol associated with the Boy Scouts
of America or a logo or symbol associated with the Eagle Scouts. DOT may not issue
these special plates until DOT has obtained authority to use any applicable
trademark or service mark associated with the Boy Scouts of America on these
special plates and until DOT receives a contribution from any interested person or
group in the amount of the initial costs of production of these special plates or
$23,700, whichever is less.
Under current law, the identifying letters or numbers (registration number)
appearing on special plates issued to special group members, including personalized
special plates, may not exceed six positions. This bill allows special plates to have
a registration number of up to seven positions.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB388,1
1Section
1. 20.395 (5) (eL) of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,2,42
20.395
(5) (eL)
Payments to the Boy Scouts of America National Foundation. 3From the general fund, all moneys received under s. 341.14 (6r) (b) 17. for payments
4to the Boy Scouts of America National Foundation under s. 341.14 (11) (a).
SB388,2
5Section
2. 25.40 (1) (a) 32. of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,2,86
25.40
(1) (a) 32. Moneys received under s. 341.14 (6r) (b) 17. that are deposited
7into the general fund and credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.395 (5)
8(eL).
SB388,3
1Section
3. 341.14 (6r) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB388,4,22
341.14
(6r) (b) 1. Subject to subd. 1m., upon application to register an
3automobile or motor home, or a motor truck, dual purpose motor home or dual
4purpose farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, or a
5farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds, by any person
6who is a resident of this state and a member of an authorized special group, the
7department shall issue to the person special plates whose colors and design shall
8indicate that the vehicle is owned by a person who is a member of the applicable
9special group. The department may not issue any special group plates under par. (f)
1055., 60., or 61r. until 6 months after the department has received information
11sufficient for the department to determine that any approvals required for use of any
12logo, trademark, trade name or other commercial symbol designating the
13professional football team or professional baseball team or associated with
14Harley-Davidson, Inc., have been obtained. Subject to subs. (9) (d)
and, (10) (d),
and
15(11) (d), the department may not issue any special group plates under par. (f) 61m.
16or, 63.
, or 65. until the department has received information sufficient for the
17department to determine that any license or other approval required for use of any
18logo, trademark or service mark, trade name or other commercial symbol to be used
19on or in association with these plates has been obtained. Notwithstanding s. 341.12
20(2), if the department of corrections does not have flat-plate technology available for
21use in manufacturing license plates at quality and cost comparable to that available
22from the state of Minnesota, the department of transportation may not issue any
23special group plates under par. (f) 59. unless the department of transportation
24purchases the plates from the state of Minnesota. Sections 16.70, 16.71, 16.72, 16.75,
116.752 to 16.755, 16.765, 16.77, and 16.82 do not apply to purchases of plates issued
2under par. (f) 59. from the state of Minnesota.
SB388,4
3Section
4. 341.14 (6r) (b) 1m. c. of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,4,184
341.14
(6r) (b) 1m. c. Upon receipt of a contribution totaling an amount equal
5to the department's final estimate of the initial costs of production of the special
6group plates under par. (f) 65. or $23,700, whichever is less, from any person or group
7interested in the special group plates under par. (f) 65., the department shall
8commence any development work necessary to implement the provisions of par. (f)
965. and related provisions under this subsection and shall complete the development
10work within one year of its commencement. As soon as possible, the department
11shall post notice on the department's Internet site of its final estimate of the initial
12costs of production of the special group plates under par. (f) 65. The development
13work under this subd. 1m. c. shall be funded only from the appropriation under s.
1420.395 (4) (ch) from the contribution received by the department for purposes of this
15subd. 1m. c. No contribution received by the department under this subd. 1m. c. may
16be applied to any fee established under subd. 2. The department may not issue any
17special group plates under par. (f) 65. until the department has completed the
18development work specified in this subd. 1m. c.
SB388,5
19Section
5. 341.14 (6r) (b) 17. of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,5,920
341.14
(6r) (b) 17. Subject to sub. (11) (d), a voluntary payment of $25 that is
21in addition to the fee under subd. 2. shall be collected in connection with the issuance
22or renewal of a plate issued on an annual basis for the special group specified under
23par. (f) 65. Subject to sub. (11) (d), a voluntary payment of $50 that is in addition to
24the fee under subd. 2. shall be collected in connection with the issuance or renewal
25of a plate issued on a biennial basis for the special group specified under par. (f) 65.
1if the plate is issued or renewed during the first year of the biennial registration
2period or $25 for the issuance or renewal if the plate is issued or renewed during the
32nd year of the biennial registration period. No plate may be issued for the special
4group specified under par. (f) 65. unless the voluntary payment under this
5subdivision is collected. All moneys received under this subdivision shall be
6deposited into the general fund and credited to the appropriation under s. 20.395 (5)
7(eL). To the extent permitted under ch. 71, the voluntary payment under this
8subdivision is deductible as a charitable contribution for purposes of the taxes under
9ch. 71.
SB388,6
10Section
6. 341.14 (6r) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB388,7,211
341.14
(6r) (c) Special group plates shall display the word "Wisconsin", the
12name of the applicable authorized special group, a symbol representing the special
13group, not exceeding one position, and identifying letters or numbers or both, not
14exceeding
6 7 positions and not less than one position. Except as provided in this
15paragraph, the department shall specify the design for special group plates, but the
16department shall consult the president of the University of Wisconsin System before
17specifying the word or symbol used to identify the special groups under par. (f) 35.
18to 47., the secretary of natural resources before specifying the word or symbol used
19to identify the special groups under par. (f) 50. and 59., the chief executive officer of
20the professional football team and an authorized representative of the league of
21professional football teams described in s. 229.823 to which that team belongs before
22specifying the design for the applicable special group plate under par. (f) 55., the chief
23trademark officer of Harley-Davidson Michigan, LLC before specifying the design
24for the applicable special group plate under par. (f) 61r., the department of veterans
25affairs before specifying the design for the special group plates under par. (f) 49d.,
149h., and 49s.,
and the department of tourism and chief executive officer of the
2organization specified in par. (f) 55m. before specifying the design and word or
3symbol used to identify the special group name for special group plates under par.
4(f) 55m.
, and the Three Harbors Council, Boy Scouts of America NESA License
5Committee before specifying the designs for the initial special group plates under
6par. (f) 65. Special group plates under par. (f) 50. shall be as similar as possible to
7regular registration plates in color and design. Special group plates issued under
8par. (f) 62. shall display the words "In God We Trust". The department shall make
9available 2 designs for the special group plates under par. (f) 60. The department
10may not specify any design for the special group plates under par. (f) 60. unless the
11design is approved by the executive vice president of the Milwaukee Brewers
12Baseball Club LP. The word or symbol used to identify the special group under par.
13(f) 59. shall be different from the word or symbol used to identify the special group
14under par. (f) 50. and the design shall cover the entire plate. Special group plates
15under par. (f) 61m. shall display a logo or image of the lion associated with the Lions
16Clubs International. Special group plates under par. (f) 61r. shall display a bar and
17shield logo associated with Harley-Davidson, Inc., on the left portion of the plates
18and the words "share the road" on the bottom portion of the plates. Special group
19plates under par. (f) 63. shall display the words "Trout Unlimited."
Special group
20plates under par. (f) 65. shall display the words "Scouting Alumni" and, at the option
21of the vehicle owner, either a logo or symbol associated with the Boy Scouts of
22America or a logo or symbol associated with the Eagle Scouts. Notwithstanding par.
23(e), special group plates under par. (f) 33m. and 48m. shall be the same color and
24design that was specified by the department for special group plates under par. (f)
2533. and 48., respectively, immediately prior to January 1, 2007. The design for
1special group plates under par. (f) 33. and 48. shall be different from the design of
2special group plates under par. (f) 33m. and 48m., respectively.
SB388,7
3Section
7. 341.14 (6r) (f) 65. of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,7,54
341.14
(6r) (f) 65. Persons interested in obtaining a plate expressing support
5for the Boy Scouts of America.
SB388,8
6Section
8. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 7. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB388,7,137
341.14
(6r) (fm) 7. After October 1, 1998, additional authorized special groups
8may only be special groups designated by the department under this paragraph. The
9authorized special groups enumerated in par. (f) shall be limited solely to those
10special groups specified under par. (f) on October 1, 1998. This subdivision does not
11apply to the special groups specified under par. (f) 3m., 6m., 9g., 9m., 12g., 12m.,
1215m., 15n., 15o., 15p., 15q., 19m., 33m., 48m., 49d., 49h., 49s., 54., 55., 55m., 56., 57.,
1358., 59., 60., 61., 61m., 61r.,
and 62.
and, 63.
and, 64.
, and 65.
SB388,9
14Section
9. 341.14 (11) of the statutes is created to read:
SB388,7,2115
341.14
(11) (a) Subject to par. (c), from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (5)
16(eL), the department shall make payments to the Boy Scouts of America National
17Foundation for distribution by the National Foundation to local councils of the Boy
18Scouts of America located in this state. All payments made under this paragraph
19shall be distributed by the National Foundation to these local councils in accordance
20with an agreement entered into between the National Foundation and the local
21councils.
SB388,8,222
(b) For each year in which the department makes payments under par. (a), any
23local council receiving funds from the National Foundation under par. (a) shall
24submit to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature a financial statement
1of its use of the payments received under par. (a), prepared in accordance with
2generally accepted accounting principles.
SB388,8,103
(c) The department shall discontinue payments to the Boy Scouts of America
4National Foundation under par. (a) if the Boy Scouts of America dissolves, becomes
5insolvent, files a petition for bankruptcy, or is no longer exempt from taxation under
6section
501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The agreement under par. (a) between
7the National Foundation and local councils shall require that the National
8Foundation discontinue the distribution of payments to any local council that
9dissolves, becomes insolvent, files a petition for bankruptcy, or is no longer exempt
10from taxation under section
501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
SB388,8,1511
(d) 1. If the special group plates under sub. (6r) (f) 65. will display any logo,
12trademark or service mark, trade name, or other commercial symbol associated with
13the Boy Scouts of America, the department may not issue any plates under sub. (6r)
14(f) 65. unless the approval specified in sub. (6r) (b) 1. for these plates provides for all
15of the following:
SB388,8,1716
a. That the approval is irrevocable with respect to all plates issued for vehicles
17after the plates are issued for these vehicles.
SB388,8,2118
b. That, if the approval is withdrawn, the department may continue to renew
19the registration of vehicles previously issued plates under sub. (6r) (f) 65., without
20replacing those plates, but the department shall discontinue collecting the voluntary
21payment specified in sub. (6r) (b) 17. with respect to these renewals.
SB388,9,222
2. Notwithstanding sub. (6r) (b) 1. and (f) (intro.), if the approval specified in
23sub. (6r) (b) 1. for plates issued under sub. (6r) (f) 65. is withdrawn, the department
24shall discontinue issuing plates under sub. (6r) (f) 65. for which the approval had
1been provided unless additional approval, as specified in this paragraph and sub. (6r)
2(b) 1., is obtained by the department.
SB388,10
3Section
10. 341.145 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB388,9,84
341.145
(1) (c) A registration plate of the same color and design as provided in
5s. 341.14 (6r) for a vehicle specified under s. 341.14 (6r), which displays the applicable
6symbol of the authorized special group to which the person belongs and a registration
7number composed of letters or numbers, or both, not exceeding
6 7 positions and not
8less than one position, requested by the applicant.