Special registration plates associated with the Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, childhood cancer, Whitetails Unlimited, the Boy Scouts of America, and nurses and the nursing profession, registration numbers on special registration plates, and making appropriations. (FE)

This bill establishes designated special groups for persons interested in obtaining special plates expressing support for the Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, the Boy Scouts of America, nurses and the nursing profession, or the efforts of Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer to fund childhood cancer and related blood disorder research. In addition to the regular vehicle registration fee, special group members for each group 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 Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, the Boy Scouts of America, the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Executives, or Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer.

The bill requires the special plates to display a logo or symbol associated with the respective group. The Department of Transportation (DOT) may not issue these special plates until DOT has obtained authority to use any applicable trademark or service mark associated with the group 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. After DOT begins issuing special plates to any of these groups, if DOT receives, for two consecutive calendar years, fewer than 500 registration renewal applications for vehicles displaying these special plates and three years have elapsed since DOT first began issuing these special plates or since the previous assessment of the number of renewal applications, DOT must cease issuing the special plates for that group.

Also 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.