FIRST REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILL NO. 94

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY


INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CAUTHORN.

Pre-filed December 1, 2004, and ordered printed.



TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

0308S.01I


AN ACT

To amend chapter 301, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to respect life license plates.


Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 301, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 301.3030, to read as follows:

301.3030. 1. Any person may receive special license plates with words and an emblem that denotes respect for human life both before and after birth, pursuant to this section, for any motor vehicle such person owns either solely or jointly, other than an apportioned motor vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle licensed in excess of eighteen thousand pounds gross weight after a contribution of at least twenty-five dollars, or at least fifty dollars in the case of a biennial registration, to the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund. Such license plates shall be called "Respect Life License Plates".

2. Respect life license plates shall bear the words "RESPECT LIFE" in place of the words "SHOW-ME STATE" and shall bear the image of a single red rose. Such license plates shall be made with fully reflective material with a common color scheme and design, shall be clearly visible at night, and shall be aesthetically attractive, pursuant to section 301.130. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 301.144, no additional fee shall be charged for the personalization of license plates issued pursuant to this section.

3. The contribution of at least twenty-five dollars, or at least fifty dollars in the case of a biennial registration, to the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund shall be made to the director of revenue at the time of registration of the vehicle. The director shall transfer such contributions to the state treasurer for deposit in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund. Upon the receipt of such contribution, payment of the regular registration fees and presentation of other documents that may be required by law, the director of revenue shall issue respect life license plates to the vehicle owner.

4. There shall be no limit on the number of sets of respect life license plates a person may obtain pursuant to this section so long as such license plates are issued for vehicles owned solely or jointly by such person, and so long as a contribution of at least twenty-five dollars, or at least fifty dollars in the case of a biennial registration, is made for each set of respect life license plates.

5. A vehicle owner who was previously issued respect life license plates but who does not make a contribution of at least twenty-five dollars, or at least fifty dollars in the case of a biennial registration, to the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund at a subsequent time of registration shall be issued new plates that are not respect life license plates, as otherwise provided by law.

6. The director of revenue shall issue samples of respect life license plates to all offices in this state where vehicles are registered and license plates are issued. Such sample license plates shall be prominently displayed in such offices along with literature prepared by the director describing the license plates, the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund, and the purposes for which the fund is used.

7. The general assembly may appropriate moneys annually from the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund to the department of revenue to offset costs reasonably incurred by the director of revenue pursuant to subsections 1 to 6 of this section.

8. There is hereby established in the state treasury the "Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Support Fund". The state treasurer shall credit to and deposit in such fund:

(1) Moneys that may be required by law to be credited to or deposited in such fund;

(2) Moneys that may be appropriated to it by the general assembly;

(3) Other amounts that may be received from general revenue, grants, gifts, bequests, settlements, awards, or from federal, state or local sources; and

(4) Any other sources granted or given for this specific purpose.

9. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund in the same manner as surplus state funds are invested pursuant to section 30.260, RSMo. All earnings that result from the investment of moneys in the fund shall be credited to such fund.

10. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, moneys in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund shall not revert to the credit of general revenue at the end of the biennium.

11. Moneys credited to and deposited in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund shall only be used for the purposes authorized pursuant to this section or as otherwise provided by law.

12. Until the amount in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund exceeds one million dollars, not more than one-half of the moneys credited to and deposited in the fund from all sources, plus all earnings from the investment of moneys in the fund during the previous fiscal year, shall be available for disbursement. When the state treasurer certifies that the assets in the fund exceed one million dollars, all credited earnings plus all future credits to the fund from all sources shall be available for disbursement.

13. The Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund shall be used to provide and promote alternatives to abortion services by grants to, or contracts with, private agencies that are:

(1) Established and operating primarily to provide alternatives to abortion services and that do not perform or refer for abortions or hold themselves out as performing or referring for abortions;

(2) Located in this state; and

(3) Exempt from income taxation pursuant to the United States Internal Revenue Code.

Such private agencies may include, by way of example but not of limitation, maternity homes and agencies commonly known and referred to as crisis pregnancy centers.

14. As used in this section, "alternatives to abortion services" means services or counseling offered to a woman with a crisis pregnancy or unplanned pregnancy to assist her in carrying her unborn child to term instead of having an abortion, and to assist her in caring for her dependent child or placing her child for adoption.






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