MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representatives Peranich, Compretta

AN ACT TO CREATE A NEW CODE SECTION 27-19-56.15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF DISTINCTIVE LICENSE TAGS IN SUPPORT OF MISSISSIPPI WILDLIFE REHABILITATION ORGANIZATIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE FEES COLLECTED FOR SUCH DISTINCTIVE LICENSE TAGS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO MISSISSIPPI WILDLIFE REHABILITATION ORGANIZATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 27-19-56.15, Mississippi Code of 1972:

27-19-56.15. (1) Any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for each motor vehicle registered in his name, which license tag shall display a wild animal native to the State of Mississippi and the words "Wildlife Rehabilitation." The native Mississippi wild animal emblem shall be chosen by the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Nature Preservation Society, Inc. (WRANPS), and the words "Wildlife Rehabilitation" shall be affixed during the production of the license tag. The State Tax Commission shall prescribe such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to distinguish each license tag.

(2) Application for the distinctive license tags authorized by this section shall be made to the county tax collector on forms prescribed by the State Tax Commission. The application and the additional fee imposed under subsection (3) of this section, less five percent (5%) thereof to be retained by the tax collector, shall be remitted to the State Tax Commission within seven (7) days of the date the application is made. The portion of the additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited into the county general fund.

(3) Beginning with any registration year commencing on or after July 1, 1999, any person applying for a distinctive license tag under this section shall pay an additional fee in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each distinctive license tag applied for under this section, which shall be in addition to all other taxes and fees. The additional fee paid shall be for a period of time to run concurrent with the vehicle's established license tag year. The additional fee is due and payable at the time the original application is made for a distinctive license tag under this section and thereafter annually at the time of renewal registration as long as the owner retains the distinctive license tag. If the owner does not wish to retain the distinctive license tag, he must surrender it to the local county tax collector.

(4) The State Tax Commission shall deposit all fees into the State Treasury on the day collected. At the end of each month, the State Tax Commission shall certify to the State Treasurer the total fees collected under this section from the issuance of the distinctive license tags issued under this section. The State Treasurer shall distribute an amount equal to Seven Dollars ($7.00) of the additional fees collected for each such distinctive license tag issued under this section to the State General Fund, and the remainder of such additional fees collected shall be distributed by the State Treasurer as follows:

(a) Thirty-two Dollars and Fifty Cents ($32.50) of each additional fee collected from issuance of the distinctive license tags shall be deposited into a special fund that is created in the State Treasury to the credit of all Mississippi wildlife rehabilitation organizations collectively that hold current state and federal licenses. The funds shall be made available at the beginning of each calendar year to each wildlife rehabilitation organization on a pro rata basis in accordance with the numbers of native wild animals each organization has rehabilitated for the past year. These numbers shall be based on annual reports currently submitted to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It shall be the responsibility of the WRANPS to submit a final tally of numbers for each licensed wildlife organization to the State Tax Commission before the commission's final disbursement of funds. WRANPS shall further be responsible for sending a copy of this tally to each licensed wildlife rehabilitation organization.

(b) One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected on special license tags issued under this section shall be deposited into the Mississippi Fire Fighter's Memorial Burn Center Fund created under Section 7-9-70.

(c) The remainder of each such additional fee shall be deposited to the credit of the State Highway Fund to be expended solely for the repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of highways.

(5) A regular license tag must be properly displayed as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag under this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered to the tax collector upon issuance of the distinctive license tag under this section. The tax collector shall issue up to two (2) license decals for each distinctive license tag issued under this section, which will expire the same month and year as the regular license tag.

(6) In the case of loss or theft of a distinctive license tag issued under this section, the owner may make application and affidavit for a replacement distinctive license tag as provided by Section 27-19-37. The fee for a replacement distinctive license tag shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00). The tax collector receiving such application and affidavit shall be entitled to retain and deposit into the county general fund five percent (5%) of the fee for such replacement license tag and the remainder shall be distributed in the same manner as funds from the sale of regular distinctive license tags issued under this section.

(7) Each licensed wildlife organization shall be responsible for placement of a poster notifying the public of the availability of the distinctive license tag at each courthouse within the organization's county. Each licensed wildlife organization shall pay a pro rata share of any printing costs associated with the poster to WRANPS within sixty (60) days of receipt of a billing notice. Each organization may further market the tag at its own expense.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.