Colorado § 42-3-222 - Special plates - support public education.

§ 42-3-222. Special plates - support public education.

(1) Beginning January 1, 2007, the department shall issue special license plates to qualified applicants in accordance with this section for motorcycles, passenger cars, trucks, and noncommercial or recreational motor vehicles that do not exceed sixteen thousand pounds empty weight.

(2) (a) There is hereby established the support public education special license plate.

(b) The design for the special license plate shall conform with standards established by the department and shall be subject to the department's approval.

(3) (a) A person may apply for a support public education special license plate if the person pays the taxes and fees required under this section and provides to the department or an authorized agent a certificate, issued by impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor, confirming that the person has donated twenty dollars to either organization or either entity's successor. When receiving the donation, impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor shall ask the donor to specify in writing which nonprofit education organization qualified under paragraph (c) of this subsection (3) should receive the moneys. Impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor shall compile and provide to the donor and the department a list of organizations that the entity has verified qualify for donations under paragraph (c) of this subsection (3).

(b) Impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor shall use the moneys collected under this subsection (3) to support programs that focus on student learning in public schools located in Colorado.

(c) Impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor shall transmit the entire donation to the nonprofit education organization pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) if the organization:

(I) Exists;

(II) Is affiliated with a school district or the state charter institute;

(III) Is a nonprofit entity exempt from federal income taxes pursuant to section 501 (c)(3) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended; and

(IV) Agrees to spend all of the donation on programs that focus on student learning in Colorado.

(d) Impact on education, inc., Colorado legacy foundation, or either entity's successor shall not use the moneys collected under this subsection (3) to support political parties, candidates for public office, ballot initiatives, referenda, or any other political activities.

(4) The amount of the taxes and fees for the support public education special license plates under this section is the same as the amount of the taxes and fees specified for regular motor vehicle license plates; except that the department shall collect a one-time fee of twenty-five dollars for issuance or replacement of each such license plate. The department shall transmit the additional one-time fee to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the highway users tax fund created in section 43-4-201, C.R.S.

(5) An applicant may apply for personalized support public education special license plates. Upon payment of the additional fee required by section 42-3-211 (6)(a) for personalized license plates, the department may issue such plates if the applicant complies with section 42-3-211. If an applicant has existing personalized license plates for a motor vehicle, the applicant may transfer the combination of letters or numbers to a new set of support public education special license plates for the vehicle upon payment of the fee imposed by section 42-3-211 (6) and upon turning in such existing plates to the department. A person who has obtained personalized support public education special license plates under this subsection (5) shall pay the annual fee imposed by section 42-3-211 (6) for renewal of such personalized plates. The fees under this subsection (5) are in addition to all other taxes and fees imposed for personalized support public education special license plates.

(6) The department may stop issuing the support public education special license plate if three thousand license plates are not issued by July 1, 2016. A person who was issued a support public education special license plate on or before July 1, 2016, may continue to use the plate after July 1, 2016.

Source: L. 2006: Entire section added, p. 1066, § 1, effective August 7. L. 2009: (6) amended, (SB 09-175), ch. 226, p. 1027, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2011: (3) and (6) amended, (HB 11-1236), ch. 98, p. 286, § 3, effective April 8.

Editor's note: This section was originally numbered as § 42-3-221 in House Bill 06-1404 but was renumbered on revision for ease of location.