HB 257

Under existing law, public two-year and four-year colleges and universities may design, subject to the approval of the Legislative Oversight Committee, and issue distinctive license plates and tags pursuant to participation in the distinctive tag program

This bill would clarify that an existing prohibition from consideration by the Legislative Oversight Committee of the distinctive tag program applies only to private or proprietary two-year colleges

To amend Section 32-6-67, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended by Act 2018-190, 2018 Regular Session, relating to the Legislative Oversight Committee and the distinctive tag program; to clarify the prohibition of only private or proprietary two-year colleges.

Section 1

Section 32-6-67, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended by Act 2018-190, 2018 Regular Session, is amended to read as follows:

§32-6-67.

(a) There is created a legislative committee to oversee the implementation and administration of this Article 2, except Subdivision 1 of Division 1. The committee shall be composed of three members of the House of Representatives and a county license plate issuing official, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House, and three members of the Senate and a county license plate issuing official, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Presiding Officer of the Senate. The committee shall also be composed of the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency or his or her designee, a probate judge who is a licensing plate official appointed by the President of the Probate Judges Association, and a county licensing plate official who shall be appointed by the Alabama Association of Tax Administrators. The Department of Revenue shall designate a representative, the Department of Transportation shall designate a representative, and the Department of Corrections shall designate a representative of Alabama Correctional Industries as nonvoting and advisory members to the committee. The chair, who shall be picked by the members of the committee from the legislative members on the committee, shall have the authority to call meetings of the committee when he or she deems it necessary or as otherwise provided in this section.

(b) The committee shall:

(1) Meet not less than once every six months.

(2) Require that a simple majority of committee voting members be in attendance for conducting whatever business requires committee action.

(3) Establish guidelines for the qualification of organizations which may sponsor a new or continued issuance of a license plate category, or may benefit from that issuance.

(4) Approve, disapprove, or indefinitely postpone, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at a committee meeting, a request for a new license plate category.

(c) Decisions of the committee concerning approval, disapproval, or indefinite postponement of further action on a proposed distinctive license plate shall be interpreted to be the intent of the entire body of the Legislature, and separate, specific action by the Legislature concerning a distinctive license plate proposal shall not be considered.

(d) The committee shall not consider for approval applications from the following types of organizations:

(1) Out-of-state colleges and universities except as provided in subsection (e).

(2) Private businesses, business organizations, or commercial entities of any type.

(3) Public schools K-12, junior and private or proprietary two-year colleges, and private or proprietary technical schools, exclusive of the Helping Schools Tag as established in Sections 32-6-300 and 32-6-301.

(4) Groups within high schools, junior colleges, universities, and technical schools, such as band boosters, athletic boosters, and the like.

(5) Unions.

(6) Political organizations.

(7) Religious organizations.

(8) Groups that promote racial or social disharmony.

(9) Public officials.

(e) The committee may consider and approve an application for a distinctive license plate for an out-of-state college or university, upon submission of an application pursuant to Section 32-6-64.

(f) Upon the request of the chair, the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House shall provide clerical assistance necessary for the work of the committee.

(g) The committee members who are members of the Legislature shall be entitled to, and shall receive, the same daily legislative compensation, expense allowances, per diem, and other compensation which they receive while in legislative session for each weekday, Monday through Friday, during any week in which the committee actually meets. The non-legislative members of the committee shall be entitled to, and shall receive, the same per diem and expenses that are paid to state employees."

Section 2

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.