§ 31-3-79. Special plate for Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay.
(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available
special motor vehicle registration plates based upon two (2) not-for-profit entities,
the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay. The plate shall be designed
to reference both entities.
(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to
the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same
manner as the registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration
plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and the registration certificate
for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle, in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special plate.
(c) The Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay motor vehicle plates shall be the
same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed in conjunction with
the division of motor vehicles.
(d) Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates shall be subject to a minimum
pre-paid order of at least nine hundred (900) plates. Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save
the Bay plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met.
(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop application forms, pre-payment procedures
and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Audubon Society
of Rhode Island/Save the Bay plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance
surcharge.
(g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty
dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars
($20.00) shall be distributed annually and equally; ten dollars ($10.00) per plate
to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island; and ten dollars ($10.00) per plate to Save
the Bay, to assist the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay in furtherance
of their mission of preserving the state's natural scenic beauty, fish and wildlife,
and to continue the educational efforts of these respective entities. The distributions
to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay shall be placed in separate
restricted accounts for each entity and shall be paid to the Audubon Society of Rhode
Island and Save the Bay.
(h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated
equally; five dollars ($5.00) per registration to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island;
and five dollars ($5.00) per registration to Save the Bay.
(i) Both the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Save the Bay will be required to submit
an annual audit, prepared by a certified public accountant before such monies are
distributed.
(j) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save
the Bay plates.