1. I. There is hereby established a conservation number plate fund under the administration of the commissioner of safety. The fund shall be used for the promotion, protection, and investment in the state's natural, cultural, and historic resources. The fund shall be nonlapsing. The commissioner of safety shall distribute the funds annually on August 1, except as provided in paragraph I-a, as follows: $5,000 of every $100,000 received, up to a total of $50,000, shall be distributed to the department of transportation for the expanded wild flower establishment program for use in planting lilacs and native wild flowers; $1 for every new, renewal, and transfer of registration, up to a total of $50,000, shall be placed in a nonlapsing account for use by the department of natural and cultural resources to promote the conservation number plate program; the remainder shall be distributed as follows:

   1. (a) Forty percent to the department of natural and cultural resources;
   2. (b) Twenty percent to the department of fish and game;
   3. (c) Twenty percent to the state conservation committee; and

   4. (d) Twenty percent to the New Hampshire land and community heritage investment authority.

      I-a. The commissioner of safety shall distribute the share of funds due the New Hampshire land and community heritage investment authority, pursuant to RSA 261:97-b, I, on the first day of each month. The total amount shall not exceed $200,000 per fiscal year.

2. II. Each department and commission receiving funding from the conservation number plate fund shall establish a line item in their budget. Moneys received from the conservation number plate fund shall be in addition to any other sums appropriated and shall not replace base funding received by any of these departments or commissions through the budget process.

Source. 1998, 20:2; 363:3. 2000, 245:7. 2003, 126:1, eff. July 1, 2003. 2016, 61:4, eff. July 4, 2016. 2017, 156:34, eff. July 1, 2017.