S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7067
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  authorizing
   distinctive  license  plates for New York state licensed mental health
   counselors
 
   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 PLATES FOR NEW YORK STATE LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH
 COUNSELORS.   1. ANY NEW YORK STATE  LICENSED  MENTAL  HEALTH  COUNSELOR
 RESIDING  IN  THIS  STATE SHALL, UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE
 FORMATTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEPARTMENT BEARING THE LETTERS "MHC".
 IF A DISTINCTIVE PLATE IS ISSUED TO A NEW  YORK  STATE  LICENSED  MENTAL
 HEALTH  COUNSELOR PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, SUCH DISTINCTIVE PLATE SHALL
 NOT BE ISSUED TO THE SPOUSE OF SUCH  PERSON  UNLESS  SUCH  SPOUSE  IS  A
 MENTAL  HEALTH  COUNSELOR AS WELL. APPLICATION FOR SUCH LICENSE SHALL BE
 FILED WITH THE COMMISSIONER IN SUCH FORM AND DETAIL AS THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PRESCRIBE, AND SHALL BE VERIFIED ANNUALLY BY THE APPLICANT.
   2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATE AUTHORIZED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION
 SHALL  BE  ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE
 APPLICANT IS PRESENTLY A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR LICENSED TO PRACTICE IN
 THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND 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 SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS SHALL  BE  CHARGED  FOR
 SUCH PLATE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
   3.  THE  COMMISSIONER MAY SET AN ADDITIONAL FEE, NOT TO EXCEED FIFTEEN
 DOLLARS, TO THE ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE, ESTABLISHED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF
 THIS SECTION, AND SUCH FEE SHALL BE  DEPOSITED  TO  THE  CREDIT  OF  THE
 DEPARTMENT  OF  MOTOR VEHICLES DISTINCTIVE PLATE DEVELOPMENT FUND ESTAB-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10534-01-5
              

 A. 7067                             2
 
 LISHED BY SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW. SUCH FEE SHALL
 BE USED  FOR  THE  PRODUCTION,  DESIGN,  ADVERTISING  AND  MARKETING  OF
 DISTINCTIVE LICENSE PLATES PURSUANT TO SUCH SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G.
   §  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 the 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 such service
 charges shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section  404-oo
 of  article  14  of  the  vehicle  and  traffic law to the credit of the
 department of motor vehicles distinctive plate development  fund  estab-
 lished  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. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this
 act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, the  addition,
 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.