Senate Bill NO. 2567

By Senator(s) Blackmon, Johnson(38), Simmons

SECTION *. (1) Public school teachers who own motor vehicles, upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and 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 annual fee in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00), shall be issued a special license tag which identifies such person as a public school teacher.

(2) The distinctive tags shall be of such color and design as agreed upon by the American Federation of Teachers, the Mississippi Professional Educators and the State Tax Commission. The State Tax Commission shall have final approval of the color and design of the tags.

(3) Application for the special license tags shall be made to the county tax collector on forms prescribed by the State Tax Commission. Applicants for such distinctive license tags shall present to the issuing official proof of their employment as a public school teacher. The application and the additional fee, less five percent (5%) thereof to be retained by the tax collector, shall be remitted to the State Tax Commission on a monthly basis as prescribed by the commission. The portion of the additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited into the county general fund.

(4) The special license tag shall be issued for a one-year period. The additional annual fee shall be due and payable at the time of renewal registration.

(5) (a) The State Tax Commission shall deposit all fees into the State Treasury on the day received. At the end of each month, the State Tax Commission shall certify the total fees collected under this section to the State Treasurer who shall deposit such collections in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury. The fund shall be administered by the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education shall use the money in the fund to provide educational financial assistance to persons who are pursuing educational requirements necessary to become a public school teacher. Such assistance shall be awarded based upon such criteria as the State Board of Education may establish.

(b) 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.

TO AUTHORIZE A DISTINCTIVE LICENSE TAG FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS;