301.3087. Missouri State Humane Association special license plate, application, fee--Missouri pet spay/neuter fund created. - Missouri Statutes

Missouri State Humane Association special license plate, application,fee--Missouri pet spay/neuter fund created.

301.3087. 1. Any person may receive special license plates asprescribed by this section, for any motor vehicle such person owns, eithersolely or jointly, other than an apportioned motor vehicle or a commercialmotor vehicle licensed in excess of eighteen thousand pounds gross weight,after an annual payment of an emblem-use authorization fee to the MissouriState Humane Association. The Missouri State Humane Association herebyauthorizes the use of its official emblem to be affixed on multiyearpersonalized license plates as provided in this section. All emblem-useauthorization fees, except reasonable administrative costs, shall be placedinto a special fund as described in subsection 4 of this section and shall beused exclusively for the purpose of spaying and neutering dogs and cats in thestate of Missouri.

2. Upon annual application and payment of a twenty-five dollaremblem-use contribution to the Missouri State Humane Association, the MissouriState Humane Association shall issue to the vehicle owner, without furthercharge, an emblem-use authorization statement, which shall be presented by theowner to the department of revenue at the time of registration of a motorvehicle. Upon presentation of the annual statement, payment of a fifteendollar fee in addition to the registration fee and documents which may berequired by law, the department of revenue shall issue to the vehicle owner apersonalized license plate which shall bear the emblem of the Missouri StateHumane Association and shall have the words "I'M PET FRIENDLY" on the licenseplates in place of the words "SHOW-ME STATE". Such license plates shall bemade with fully reflective material with a common color scheme and design,shall be clearly visible at night, and shall be aesthetically attractive, asprescribed by section 301.130. Notwithstanding the provisions of section301.144, no additional fee shall be charged for the personalization of licenseplates pursuant to this section.

3. A vehicle owner, who was previously issued a plate with the MissouriState Humane Association emblem authorized by this section but who does notprovide an emblem-use authorization statement at a subsequent time ofregistration, shall be issued a new plate which does not bear the MissouriState Humane Association emblem, as otherwise provided by law. The directorof revenue shall make necessary rules and regulations for the administrationof this section, and shall design all necessary forms required by thissection. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authorityof this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuantto the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.

4. The "Missouri Pet Spay/Neuter Fund" is hereby created as a specialfund in the state treasury and shall be administered by the department ofagriculture. This fund shall consist of moneys collected pursuant to thissection. All moneys deposited in the Missouri pet spay/neuter fund, exceptreasonable administrative costs, shall be paid as grants to humane societies,local municipal animal shelters regulated by sections 273.400 to 273.405,RSMo, and organizations exempt from federal income taxation under Section501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to be used solely for the spaying andneutering of dogs and cats in the state of Missouri. For purposes ofapproving grants under this section, the governor shall appoint a volunteerboard that shall consist of three Missouri residents, of which two shall beadministrators of local municipal animal shelters regulated by sections273.400 to 273.405, RSMo, and one shall be an administrator of a humanesociety. Each of the three members shall be from separate congressionaldistricts. Members of this board shall be appointed for three-year terms andshall meet at least twice a year to review grant applications. All moneysdeposited in the Missouri pet spay/neuter fund, except reasonableadministrative costs, shall be spent by the end of each fiscal year.Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, ifany moneys remain in the fund at the end of the biennium, said moneys shallnot revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.

(L. 2002 S.B. 960)