This bill establishes an Advisory Committee for the Department of Revenue for the purpose of developing guidelines for the issuance of motor vehicle specialized license plates. The committee will hold public hearings around the state, develop guidelines, and direct the Director of Revenue to implement the guidelines for all specialized license plates not later than July 1, 1999. The committee must also revise the design of Missouri's license plate and implement this final design by April 1, 2000.
Language is contained in the bill for dissolving the committee.
The bill makes it clear that all military and special plates may be obtained for noncommercial motor vehicles and for local or nonlocal commercial motor vehicles licensed for a gross weight not in excess of 12,000 pounds. There will no longer be a limit on the number of plates a person may obtain as long as each set is issued for vehicles owned solely or jointly by the person. Several new plates are authorized in the bill, including the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Bronze Star, Gulf War, Missouri Botanical Gardens, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Missouri Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs, Fraternal Order of Police, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Professional Sports Team, St. Louis Italian-American Bocce Club, Ducks Unlimited, Missouri D.A.R.E. Officers' Association, and Emergency Medical Services. Any Missouri vehicle license plate over 25 years old may be issued to the same year historic vehicle as the vehicle's registered license if the configuration of letters, numbers or combination of letters and numbers of such plate is not identical to the configuration of letters, numbers, or combination of letters and numbers of any plates already issued. Currently such a license must have been issued prior to 1979.