New Specialty Plates Coming to Florida?

​So far, four new license plates are being pursued in the upcoming Florida state legislative session:
HB 201 has been filed by Representative Delores D. “D” Hogan Johnson, (D-Fort Pierce), a retired educator, to create the Highwaymen License Plate for the Highwaymen Museum and African-American Cultural Center. Upon completion of construction, a minimum of 10% shall be distributed to the St. Lucie Education Foundation, Inc., to fund art education and art projects in public schools within St. Lucie County. The remainder of the fees shall be used to fund the day-to-day operations of the Highwaymen Museum and African-American Cultural Center.
 
SB 106 has been filed by Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), a former insurance agent, to create an Orlando United license plate. 5% percent of the funds generated from the sales of the license plate shall be distributed to the Mental Health Association of Central Florida, Inc., to be used for marketing of the license plate. 31% shall be distributed to the Mental Health Association of Central Florida, Inc. Of this amount, up to 5% may be used for administrative expenses, and the remainder shall be used to offer free personalized counseling to any person affected by the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016. 2% shall be distributed to onePULSE Foundation, a charitable, nonprofit organization under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, to be used for marketing of the license plate. 31% shall be distributed to onePULSE Foundation. Of this amount, up to 5% may be used for administrative expenses, and the remainder shall be used to support the construction and maintenance of the onePULSE Foundation Memorial. 31% shall be distributed to Two Spirit Health Services, Inc. Of this amount, up to 5% may be used for administrative expenses, and the remainder shall be used to offer free personalized counseling to any person affected by the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016.
 
SB 140 has been filed by Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), a former insurance agent to create the Gopher Tortoise specialty plate. The annual use fees from the sale of the plate shall be distributed to Wildlands Conservation, Inc., a nonprofit, to fund gopher tortoise and commensal species research, education, and conservation, as well as upland habitat protection, restoration, and management in this state. Up to 15% of the funds received by Wildlands Conservation, Inc., may be used for marketing of the plate and costs directly associated with the administration of the gopher tortoise protection program. Wildlands Conservation, Inc., shall use and distribute the funds to eligible Florida-based scientific, conservation, and educational organizations for gopher tortoise and upland habitat research, conservation, and management.
 
HB 273 has been filed by Representative Melony M. Bell (R- Fort Meade), a business owner, to develop a Florida State Beekeepers Association license plate. The words "Save the Bees" must appear at the bottom of the plate. The annual use fees shall be distributed to the Florida State Beekeepers Association, a Florida nonprofit corporation. The Florida State Beekeepers Association may use up to 18% of the annual use fees for:
Direct reimbursement for administrative costs, startup costs, and costs incurred in the development and approval process of the license plate. All vendors associated with the administrative costs shall be selected by competitive bid.
Promotion and marketing costs of the license plate.
The remaining funds shall be distributed to the Florida State Beekeepers Association and shall be used to raise awareness of the importance of beekeeping to Florida agriculture by funding honeybee research, education, outreach, and husbandry. The Florida State Beekeepers Association board of managers must approve and is accountable for all such expenditures.
 
HB 299 has been filed by Barbara Watson (D-Miami Gardens), former owner of Watson Antique and Classic Cars, authorizing a certain owner or lessee of a motor vehicle to request issuance of a license plate decal identifying him or her as an organ, tissue, or eye donor; providing requirements for the free motor vehicle license plate decals to organ donors. An owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who is registered as an organ, tissue, or eye donor may request issuance of a decal to be affixed to the upper left-hand corner of the owner's or lessee's motor vehicle license plate identifying the owner or lessee as an organ, tissue, or eye donor. Upon receipt of such request, the department shall issue a red heart decal to the owner or lessee free of charge.