The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7802

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 21, 2020
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  authorizing
  distinctive  license  plates for supporters of the conservation of the
  Seneca white deer; and to amend the state finance law, in relation  to
  establishing the New York state "preserve the Seneca white deer fund"

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
section 404-ff to read as follows:
  §  404-FF.  DISTINCTIVE  "I  SUPPORT  THE  SENECA  WHITE DEER" LICENSE
PLATES. 1. ANY PERSON RESIDING IN THIS STATE  SHALL,  UPON  REQUEST,  BE
ISSUED  A  DISTINCTIVE  LICENSE  PLATE BEARING THE PHRASE "I SUPPORT THE
SENECA WHITE DEER". APPLICATION FOR SUCH LICENSE PLATE  SHALL  BE  FILED
WITH  THE COMMISSIONER IN SUCH FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
PRESCRIBE.
  2. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON PAYMENT  OF  THE  REGULAR
REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE,
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-
FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.
  § 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff  of
the  vehicle and traffic law, as added by section one of this act, shall
only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to  the  depart-
ment  of  motor  vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of six thousand
dollars, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized  by  the
department  of  financial  services  to transact business in this state.
Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have
received prior to plate design, production and  issuance  at  least  two
hundred  orders  for such distinctive plate together with the additional
annual service charge applicable to each  such  order,  which  shall  be
non-refundable,  no  such  surety  bond  shall  be required. All service
charges collected pursuant to this section shall be  deposited  pursuant
to  the  provisions  of section 404-oo of the vehicle and traffic law to

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15459-01-0

S. 7802                             2

the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate  devel-
opment  fund  established  by  section 95-g of the state finance law and
shall be used for the design, production, advertising  and  distribution
of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g.
  2.  If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which
distinctive plates in the  series  are  first  available  for  sale  two
hundred  or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant
to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
such plates are sold by such time,  the  department  of  motor  vehicles
shall be entitled to recover against the bond in an amount proportionate
to such shortfall.
  §  3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-aaaa
to read as follows:
  § 97-AAAA. THE NEW YORK STATE "PRESERVE THE SENECA WHITE  DEER  FUND".
1.  THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER
OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND THE COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND TO  BE
KNOWN AS THE "PRESERVE THE SENECA WHITE DEER FUND".
  2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS COLLECTED PURSUANT TO SECTION
FOUR  HUNDRED  FOUR-FF  OF  THE  VEHICLE  AND TRAFFIC LAW, AND ALL OTHER
MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND
OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
  3. THE PRESERVE THE SENECA WHITE DEER FUND SHALL CONSIST OF THE REVEN-
UES REQUIRED TO BE DEPOSITED  THEREIN  PURSUANT  TO  THE  PROVISIONS  OF
SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED  FOUR-FF  OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, AND ALL
OTHER MONEYS CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO  FROM  ANY  OTHER  FUND  OR
SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
  §  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately; provided however that,
section one of this act shall take effect on the one  hundred  eightieth
day  after  it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  necessary  for
the  implementation  of this act on its effective date are authorized to
be made and completed on or before such effective date.