§ 31-3-79. Special plate for Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay. (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available special motor vehicle registration plates based upon two (2) not-for-profit entities, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay. The plate shall be designed to reference both entities.

(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and the registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle, in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special plate.

(c) The Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles.

(d) Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates shall be subject to a minimum pre-paid order of at least nine hundred (900) plates. Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met.

(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop application forms, pre-payment procedures and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.

(g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be distributed annually and equally; ten dollars ($10.00) per plate to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island; and ten dollars ($10.00) per plate to Save the Bay, to assist the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay in furtherance of their mission of preserving the state's natural scenic beauty, fish and wildlife, and to continue the educational efforts of these respective entities. The distributions to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay shall be placed in separate restricted accounts for each entity and shall be paid to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay.

(h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated equally; five dollars ($5.00) per registration to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island; and five dollars ($5.00) per registration to Save the Bay.

(i) Both the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay will be required to submit an annual audit, prepared by a certified public accountant before such monies are distributed.

(j) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates.

History of Section. (P.L. 2006, ch. 384, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 437, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 353, § 1.)