[§249-9.5] Special number plates for
Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park authorized.
(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the director of finance shall
issue to any registered owner of a motor vehicle, who is a resident of the
State, upon completed application and payment of required fees, a special
number plate for the registered owner's motor vehicle commemorating Haleakala
National Park or Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, or both, to observe the
importance of the national parks in Hawaii.
(b) The director of finance of the city and
county of Honolulu, in consultation with the directors of finance of the
counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii, the chiefs of police of the city and
county of Honolulu, and the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii, and the
superintendents of Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park,
shall establish a special number plate design that:
(1) Contains words, images, or both, that indicate
the special number plate is issued to recognize Haleakala National Park and
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; provided that the director of finance of the
city and county of Honolulu may establish special number plate designs to
jointly or separately recognize Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park;
(2) Is similar in shape and size to the uniform state
number plate prescribed by law; and
(3) Does not obstruct the visibility of the number or
letters or any other information that is required by law to be on a number
plate and [is] readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic
conditions.
(c) The special number plate design shall not:
(1) Infringe or otherwise violate any trademark,
trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right;
(2) Represent any obscene or degrading image, idea,
word, or phrase;
(3) Advertise or endorse a product, brand, or service
that is provided for sale;
(4) Promote any religious belief; or
(5) Promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that
is contrary to state civil rights laws.
(d) Each special number plate shall be
securely fastened to the motor vehicle in lieu of the uniform state number
plate.
(e) The director of finance shall charge a
special number plate fee at least equal to the county's cost of providing the
special number plate and administrative costs, if any, plus a fundraising fee
to be determined by the director of finance in consultation with the
superintendents of Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The fundraising fee shall be in addition to any other state or county fees
collected for a motor vehicle registration or license plate.
(f) The director of finance may charge an
additional fundraising fee, of the same or a different amount as the
fundraising fee established pursuant to subsection (e), for the renewal of a
special number plate. If an additional fundraising fee is implemented pursuant
to this subsection, the director of finance shall revoke the special number
plate of the registered owner of a motor vehicle who fails to pay the
additional fundraising fee imposed by this subsection.
(g) The revenue generated by the fundraising
fees, or a portion of the revenue generated by the fundraising fees as
determined by the director of finance, shall be deposited in the name of the
Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in a separate county
budget account. The director of finance shall determine the most efficient
means of directing the revenue generated by the fundraising fees to the
respective national park, or its nonprofit partner organization, as
appropriate.
(h) The director of finance may revoke all
special number plates issued pursuant to this section if the total number of
registered owners' of motor vehicles that obtain the special number plates is
less than one hundred fifty within three years of issuance of the first special
number plate.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed
to apply to any plates issued pursuant to section 249-9.2.
(j) For the purposes of this section, unless a
different meaning appears from the context, "special number plate"
means a license plate that represents Haleakala National Park and Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park. [L 2015, c 145, §1]