§ 304b. Conservation motor vehicle registration plates

(a) The Commissioner shall, upon application, issue conservation registration plates for use only on vehicles registered at the pleasure car rate, on trucks registered for less than 26,001 pounds, and on vehicles registered to State agencies under section 376 of this title, but excluding vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan. Plates so acquired shall be mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle. The Commissioners of Motor Vehicles and of Fish and Wildlife shall determine the graphic design of the special plates in a manner which serves to enhance the public awareness of the State's interest in restoring and protecting its wildlife and major watershed areas. The Commissioners of Motor Vehicles and of Fish and Wildlife may alter the graphic design of these special plates provided that plates in use at the time of a design alteration shall remain valid subject to the operator's payment of the annual registration fee. Applicants shall apply on forms prescribed by the Commissioner and shall pay an initial fee of $26.00 in addition to the annual fee for registration. In following years, in addition to the annual registration fee, the holder of a conservation plate shall pay a renewal fee of $26.00. The Commissioner may adopt rules under 3 V.S.A. chapter 25 to implement the provisions of this subsection.

(b) Initial fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:

(1) 46 percent to the Transportation Fund.

(2) 27 percent to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for deposit into the Nongame Wildlife Account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4048.

(3) 27 percent to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for deposit into the Watershed Management Account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4050.

(c) Renewal fees collected under subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated as follows:

(1) 42 percent to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for deposit into the Nongame Wildlife Account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4048.

(2) 42 percent to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for deposit into the Watershed Management Account created in 10 V.S.A. § 4050.

(3) 16 percent to the Transportation Fund.

(d) The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife is authorized to deposit fees collected by the Department of Fish and Wildlife under subsections (b) and (c) of this section into the Conservation Camp Fund when the fees collected exceed the annual funding needs of the Nongame Wildlife Account and the Watershed Management Account. (Added 1995, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 14, eff. May 22, 1996; amended 1997, No. 59, § 73, eff. June 30, 1997; 1997, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2003, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), § 63, eff. June 9, 2004; 2005, No. 58, § 1; 2009, No. 50, § 38; 2011, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 31; 2013, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 2015, No. 159 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 2017, No. 71, § 2.)