1. (1) MANATEE LICENSE PLATES.--

   1. (a) The department shall develop a manatee license plate to commemorate the official state marine mammal. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Save the Manatee" must appear at the bottom of the plate.

   2. (b) 1. The manatee license plate annual use fee must be deposited into the Save the Manatee Trust Fund, created within the Department of Environmental Protection. The funds deposited in the Save the Manatee Trust Fund may be used only for environmental education; manatee research; facilities, as provided in s. 370.12(5)(b); and manatee protection and recovery.

      2. For fiscal year 1996-1997, 25 percent of the manatee license plate annual use fee must be deposited into the Save the Manatee Trust Fund within the Department of Environmental Protection and shall be used for manatee facilities as provided in s. 370.12(5)(b).

2. (2) CHALLENGER LICENSE PLATES.--

   1. (a) The department shall develop a Challenger license plate to commemorate the seven astronauts who died when the space shuttle Challenger exploded on liftoff in 1986. The word "Florida" shall appear at the top of the plate, and the word "Challenger" must appear at the bottom of the plate, both words in small letters.
   2. (b) Fifty percent of the Challenger license plate annual use fee must be distributed to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc., to support the operations of the Center for Space Education and the Education Technology Institute. Funds received by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc., may be used for administrative costs directly associated with the operation of the center and the institute. These funds must be used for the maintenance and support of the operations of the Center for Space Education and the Education Technology Institute operated by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc. These operations must include preservice and inservice training in the use of technology for the state's instructional personnel in a manner consistent with state training programs and approved by the Department of Education. Up to 20 percent of funds received by the Center for Space Education and the Education Technology Institute may be expended for administrative costs directly associated with the operation of the center and the institute.
   3. (c) Fifty percent must be distributed to the Technological Research and Development Authority created by s. 2, chapter 87-455, Laws of Florida, for the purpose of funding space-related research grants, the Teacher/Quest Scholarship Program under s. 240.4082 as approved by the Florida Department of Education, and space-related economic development programs. The Technological Research and Development Authority shall coordinate and distribute available resources among state universities and independent colleges and universities based on the research strengths of such institutions in space science technology, community colleges, public school districts, and not-for-profit educational organizations.
   4. (d) Up to 10 percent of the funds distributed under paragraphs (b) and (c) may be used for continuing promotion and marketing of the license plate.
   5. (e) The Auditor General has the authority to examine any and all records pertaining to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, Inc., and the Technological Research and Development Authority to determine compliance with the law.
   6. (f) This subsection expires July 1, 2001.

3. (3) COLLEGIATE LICENSE PLATES.--

   1. (a) The department shall develop a collegiate license plate as provided in this section for state and independent universities domiciled in this state. However, any collegiate license plate created or established after January 1, 1997, must comply with the requirements of s. 320.08053 and be specifically authorized by an act of the Legislature. Collegiate license plates must bear the colors and design approved by the department as appropriate for each state and independent university. The word "Florida" must be stamped across the bottom of the plate in small letters.
   2. (b) A collegiate plate annual use fee is to be distributed to the state or independent university foundation designated by the purchaser for deposit in an unrestricted account. The Board of Regents shall require each state university to submit a plan for approval of the expenditure of all funds so designated. These funds may be used only for academic enhancement, including scholarships and private fundraising activities.

4. (4) FLORIDA SALUTES VETERANS LICENSE PLATES.--

   1. (a) The Florida Salutes Veterans license plate developed by the department must have a white background and must be designed so that the word "Florida" appears in red characters at the top of the plate; the words "Salutes Veterans" appear at the bottom of the plate in white characters on a red background; the flag of the United States, which must be designed to be waving, appears in the center of the plate; and the serial numbers appear in blue characters at either side of the flag.

   2. (b) The Florida Salutes Veterans license plate annual use fee must be deposited in the State Homes for Veterans Trust Fund, which is created in the State Treasury. All such moneys are to be administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and must be used solely for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans subject to the requirements of chapter 216.

      ¹(5) FLORIDA PANTHER LICENSE PLATES.--

   3. (a) The department shall develop a Florida panther license plate as provided in this section. Florida panther license plates must bear the design of a Florida panther and the colors that department approves. In small letters, the word "Florida" must appear at the bottom of the plate.

   4. (b) The department shall distribute the Florida panther license plate annual use fee in the following manner:

      1. Eighty-five percent must be deposited in the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund in the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission to be used for education and programs to protect the endangered Florida panther.

      2. Fifteen percent, but no less than $300,000, must be deposited in the Florida Communities Trust Fund to be used pursuant to the Florida Communities Trust Act.

   5. (c) A person or corporation that purchases 10,000 or more panther license plates shall pay an annual use fee of $5 per plate and an annual processing fee of $2 per plate, in addition to the applicable license tax required under s. 320.08.

   6. (6) FLORIDA UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE LICENSE PLATES.--

      1. (a) Because the United States Olympic Committee has selected this state to participate in a combined fundraising program that provides for one-half of all money raised through volunteer giving to stay in this state and be administered by the Sunshine State Games Foundation to support amateur sports, and because the United States Olympic Committee and the Sunshine State Games Foundation are nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing athletes with support and training and preparing athletes of all ages and skill levels for sports competition, and because the Sunshine State Games Foundation assists in the bidding for sports competitions that provide significant impact to the economy of this state, and the Legislature supports the efforts of the United States Olympic Committee and the Florida Sunshine State Games Foundation, the Legislature establishes a Florida United States Olympic Committee license plate for the purpose of providing a continuous funding source to support this worthwhile effort. Florida United States Olympic Committee license plates must contain the official United States Olympic Committee logo and must bear a design and colors that are approved by the department. The word "Florida" must be centered at the top of the plate.

      2. (b) The license plate annual use fees are to be annually distributed as follows:

         1. The first $5 million collected annually must be paid to the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Amateur Sports to be distributed as follows:

         a. Fifty percent must be distributed to the Sunshine State Games Foundation for Florida's Olympic Sports Festival for Amateur Athletes.

         b. Fifty percent must be distributed to the United States Olympic Committee.

         2. Any additional fees must be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.

   7. (7) FLORIDA SPECIAL OLYMPICS LICENSE PLATES.--

      1. (a) Florida Special Olympics license plates must contain the official Florida Special Olympics logo and must bear a design and colors that are approved by the department. The word "Florida" must be centered at the top of the plate, and the words "Support Florida Special Olympics" must be centered at the bottom of the plate.

      2. (b) The license plate annual use fees are to be annually distributed as follows:

         1. The first $5 million collected annually must be forwarded to the Florida Developmental Disabilities Planning Council as described in ²s. 393.001 and must be used solely for Special Olympics purposes as approved by the council.

         2. Any additional fees must be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.

   8. (8) FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL LICENSE PLATES.--

      1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop a Florida educational license plate as provided in this section. Florida educational license plates must bear a design and colors that the department approves. The word "Florida" must appear in small letters at the top of the plate.

      2. (b) The license annual use fees are to be distributed annually as follows:

         1. In each school district that has a district prekindergarten through grade 12 public school foundation or a direct-support organization, the moneys raised in that school district through the sale of Florida educational license plates must be distributed to the foundation or organization for enhancing educational programs.

         2. In each school district that does not have a district prekindergarten through grade 12 public school foundation or a direct-support organization, the moneys raised in that school district through the sale of Florida educational license plates must be distributed to the district school board and must be used at the discretion of the board for enhancing educational programs.

   9. (9) FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM LICENSE PLATES.--

      1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop a Florida Professional Sports Team license plate as provided in this section for Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, Arena Football Teams, and National Hockey League teams domiciled in this state. However, any Florida Professional Sports Team license plate created or established after January 1, 1997, must comply with the requirements of s. 320.08053 and be specifically authorized by an act of the Legislature. Florida Professional Sports Team license plates must bear the colors and design approved by the department and must include the official league or team logo, or both, as appropriate for each team. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate.

      2. (b) The license plate annual use fees are to be annually distributed as follows:

         1. Fifty-five percent of the proceeds from the Florida Professional Sports Team plate must be deposited into the Professional Sports Development Trust Fund within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. These funds must be used solely to attract and support major sports events in this state. As used in this subparagraph, the term "major sports events" means, but is not limited to, championship or all-star contests of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, the men's and women's National Collegiate Athletic Association Final Four basketball championship, or a horseracing or dogracing Breeders' Cup. All funds must be used to support and promote major sporting events, and the uses must be approved by the Florida Sports Foundation.

         2. The remaining proceeds of the Florida Professional Sports Team license plate must be allocated to the Florida Sports Foundation, a direct-support organization of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. These funds must be deposited into the Professional Sports Development Trust Fund within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. These funds must be used by the Florida Sports Foundation to promote the economic development of the sports industry; to distribute licensing and royalty fees to participating professional sports teams; to institute a grant program for communities bidding on minor sporting events that create an economic impact for the state; to distribute funds to Florida-based charities designated by the Florida Sports Foundation and the participating professional sports teams; and to fulfill the sports promotion responsibilities of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

         3. The Florida Sports Foundation shall provide an annual financial and compliance audit of its financial accounts and records by an independent certified public accountant pursuant to the contract established by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development as specified in s. 288.1229(5). The auditor shall submit the audit report to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development for review and approval. If the audit report is approved, the office shall certify the audit report to the Auditor General for review.

   10. (10) FLORIDA INDIAN RIVER LAGOON LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) Because the Indian River Lagoon system has been targeted by the state as a priority water body for restoration and preservation since the 1987 Surface Water Improvement and Management Act, and because the St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts have jointly developed a management plan that includes water quality improvement, habitat restoration, and public awareness and education, and because the United States Environmental Protection Agency has declared the Indian River Lagoon to be an estuary of national significance, and because coastal lagoon activities relating to saltwater fishing account for a multibillion dollar economic base, and because the Legislature supports the restoration efforts of the water management districts, the Legislature establishes a Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate for the purpose of providing a continuous funding source to support this worthwhile effort and to heighten public awareness of this economically significant resource. Florida Indian River Lagoon license plates must contain the fish "snook," which has been used as the Indian River Lagoon Surface Water Improvement and Management logo, suspended over seagrass, and must bear the colors and design approved by the department.

       2. (b) The license plate annual use fees are to be distributed annually as follows:

          1. The first $5 million collected annually must be transferred to the St. Johns River Water Management District. The district shall account for these funds separate from all other funds received. These funds must be distributed as follows:

          a. Based on Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate sales data from each county tax collector for Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties, each county's total number of Florida Indian River Lagoon license plates sold between October 1 and September 30 must represent a percentage of the six-county total, calculated as follows: the total number sold for county A divided by the total number sold for counties A, B, C, D, E, and F is multiplied by 100. The percentage determined for St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties must be totaled and that total percentage of the statewide Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate revenues must be transferred to the South Florida Water Management District special Indian River Lagoon License Plate Revenue Account and distributed proportionately among St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties. The remaining funds in the St. Johns River Water Management District Revenue Account must be divided proportionately between Volusia, Brevard, and Indian River Counties.

          b. Each water management district is responsible for administering projects in its respective counties funded with the appropriate percentage of license plate revenues.

          2. Any additional fees must be deposited into the General Revenue Fund. Fees are not to be deposited into the general revenue funds of the water management districts.

       3. (c) The application of Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate annual use fees is to be administered by the St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts for Indian River Lagoon projects and in accordance with their contracting and purchasing policies and procedures, with the following restrictions:

          1. An annual amount of the total license plate use fees must be earmarked for each of the six lagoon basin counties, as determined in sub-subparagraph (b)1.a., to be expended in those counties on habitat restoration, including water quality improvement, and environmental education projects. At least 80 percent of the use fees must be used for restoration projects, and not more than 20 percent may be used for environmental education in each county. These project funds may serve as matching funds for other local, state, or federal funds or grants. Unencumbered funds from one year may be carried over to the following year but must be dedicated to a project within 2 years in the form of a contract, an interlocal agreement, or an approved plan by the governing board of the respective district.

          2. Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate annual use fees may not be used for administrative salaries or overhead within the water management districts, nor for any general coordination fees or overhead outside of the districts which is not specifically related to a project, nor for any projects which are considered to be research, studies, inventories, or evaluations, nor for administrative salaries or overhead related to environmental education or ongoing regular maintenance. Annual use fees may be used for acquisition of rights-of-way specific to the implementation of restoration or improvement projects, if acquisition expenditures do not exceed 20 percent of a county's appropriation.

          3. In Volusia County, project implementation may occur in all estuarine waters extending north to and including the Tomoka Basin.

          4. In Palm Beach County, first priority must be given to projects within the Indian River Lagoon. Second priority must be given to projects within adjacent estuarine waters.

       4. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that revenues generated by the Florida Indian River Lagoon license plate annual use fees must not be used as replacement funds for Surface Water Improvement and Management Act funds, but must be used solely for the enhancement of the Indian River Lagoon area.

   11. (11) INVEST IN CHILDREN LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop an Invest in Children license plate. Invest in Children license plates must bear the colors and design approved by the department. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Invest in Children" must appear at the bottom of the plate.
       2. (b) The proceeds of the Invest in Children license plate annual use fee must be deposited into the Juvenile Crime Prevention and Early Intervention Trust Fund within the Department of Juvenile Justice. Based on the recommendations of the juvenile justice councils, the department shall use the proceeds of the fee to fund programs and services that are designed to prevent juvenile delinquency. The department shall allocate moneys for programs and services within each county based on that county's proportionate share of the license plate annual use fee collected by the county.

   12. (12) FLORIDA ARTS LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop a Florida arts license plate as provided in this section. In small letters, the word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the word "Art" or "Arts" or a combination of words including the word "Art" or "Arts" may appear at the bottom of the plate.

       2. (b) The license plate annual use fees are to be annually distributed as follows:

          1. All fees collected must be forwarded quarterly to the Division of Cultural Affairs of the Department of State, together with a report setting forth the amount of such fees collected in each county, and must be deposited into the Florida Fine Arts Trust Fund.

          2. The Division of Cultural Affairs shall distribute the fees forwarded to it by the department to the counties in the amounts set forth in the report required under subparagraph 1., in each case to the county arts council for such county or, if there is none, to such other agency in the county as the division designates, to be applied by the council or agency to support art organizations, programs, and activities within the county.

       3. (c) The Division of Cultural Affairs shall have the authority to administer this subsection under rules established by the Division of Cultural Affairs. The agency may adopt only rules that implement, interpret, or make specific the particular powers and duties granted by this subsection.

   13. (13) BETHUNE-COOKMAN COLLEGE LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The department shall develop a Bethune-Cookman College license plate to commemorate Bethune-Cookman College.
       2. (b) The annual use fees must be distributed to Bethune-Cookman College.

   14. (14) FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop a Florida Agricultural license plate. Florida Agricultural license plates must bear the colors and design approved by the department. The word "Agriculture" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Keeps Florida Green" must appear at the bottom of the plate.
       2. (b) The proceeds of the Florida Agricultural license plate annual use fee must be forwarded to the direct-support organization created in s. 570.912. The funds must be used for the sole purpose of funding and promoting the Florida agriculture in the classroom program established within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pursuant to s. 570.91.

   15. (15) GIRL SCOUT LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The department shall develop a Girl Scout license plate as provided in this section to commemorate the Girl Scout councils in this state. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "For Her Future" must appear at the bottom of the plate.

       2. (b) The annual use fees shall be distributed to the Citrus Council of Girl Scouts, Inc., which shall distribute funds to the following Girl Scout councils equal to the annual use fees received from counties served by each council:

          1. Citrus Council of Girl Scouts, Inc.

          2. Gateway Girl Scout Council, Inc.

          3. Girl Scouts of Broward County, Inc.

          4. Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, Inc.

          5. Heart of Florida Girl Scout Council, Inc.

          6. Palm Glades Girl Scout Council, Inc.

          7. Suncoast Girl Scout Council, Inc. Funds collected in counties not served by one of the above councils shall be used by the Citrus Council of Girl Scouts, Inc., to reimburse expenditures made on behalf of other councils to comply with s. 320.08053. Once those expenditures have been reimbursed, the funds shall be distributed to the Girl Scout councils serving those counties in the same manner as funds are distributed to the listed councils.

   16. (16) POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The department shall develop a Police Athletic League license plate as provided in this section to commemorate the Police Athletic League in this state. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, the words "Police Athletic League" must appear at the bottom of the plate, and a shield with the Police Athletic League logo must appear to the left of the numerals.
       2. (b) The annual use fees shall be distributed to the Florida Police Athletic League, Inc., to provide educational materials, athletic equipment, transportation, food, medical checkups, counseling, scholarships, and other direct expenses incurred by the league in conducting its youth programs.

   17. (17) BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall develop a Boy Scouts of America license plate. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words "Scouting Teaches Values" must appear at the bottom of the plate. The license plate must contain the official Boy Scouts of America logo, the fleur-de-lis, in the center of the plate.

       2. (b) 1. The Central Florida Council is the lead Boy Scout council on behalf of the nine councils in this state. The proceeds from the annual use fee must be sent to the Central Florida Council together with statistics on sales of the license plates which are tabulated by county. The Central Florida Council must distribute to each of the nine councils the moneys received from sales in the counties within the respective council.

          2. The Boy Scouts of America license plate annual use fee may be used by the councils for basic administrative expenses, office and professional services, year-round camping facilities, the recruitment of adult leaders and their continuing training, the maintenance of current facilities, and the continuing promotion and marketing of the license plate.

   18. (18) LARGEMOUTH BASS LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The department shall develop a Largemouth Bass license plate as provided in this section to commemorate the official freshwater fish of this state. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, the words "Go Fishing" must appear at the bottom of the plate, and a representation of a largemouth bass must appear to the left of the numerals.
       2. (b) The annual use fees shall be distributed to the State Game Trust Fund and used by the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission to fund current conservation programs that maintain current levels of protection and management of this state's fish and wildlife resources, including providing hunting, fishing, and nonconsumptive wildlife opportunities.

   19. (19) SEA TURTLE LICENSE PLATES.--

       1. (a) The department shall develop a Sea Turtle license plate as provided in this section. The word "Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, the words "Helping Sea Turtles Survive" must appear at the bottom of the plate, and the image of a sea turtle must appear in the center of the plate.

       2. (b) The annual use fees shall be deposited in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The first $500,000 in annual revenue shall be used by the Florida Marine Turtle Protection Program to conduct sea turtle protection, research, and recovery programs. The remaining annual use proceeds shall be used by the Department of Environmental Protection for sea turtle conservation activities, except that up to 30 percent of the remaining annual use fee proceeds shall be annually dispersed through the marine turtle grants program as provided in s. 370.12(1)(h).

          ¹Note.--Section 1, ch. 97-129, effective November 4, 2000, provides that "[t]he Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund within the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, which was created by section 372.672, Florida Statutes, and which is to be terminated pursuant to Section 19(f), Article III of the State Constitution on November 4, 2000, is re-created."

          ²Note.--Repealed by s. 4, ch. 95-293. Section 393.002 provides for the transfer of the council to a private nonprofit corporation.

History.--s. 3, ch. 95-282; s. 2, ch. 96-160; s. 2, ch. 96-161; s. 2, ch. 96-162; s. 2, ch. 96-163; s. 2, ch. 96-164; s. 2, ch. 96-165; s. 135, ch. 96-320; s. 15, ch. 96-321; s. 50, ch. 97-100; s. 1, ch. 97-252; s. 2, ch. 97-272; s. 28, ch. 97-300.