OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
S.B. 163* Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for Sub. S.B. 163’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by House Homeland Security
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Plummer
Larry Gunter, Jr., Research Analyst
SUMMARY
▪ Creates multiple new specialty license plates.
▪ Modifies three existing specialty license plates.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
New specialty license plates
The bill creates multiple new specialty license plates. The plates are available to the
general public, but require a person to pay an annual contribution when the plate is issued and
renewed. The contributions are deposited into the existing License Plate Contribution Fund and
later disbursed to the appropriate organizations that receive the contributions. Those
organizations work with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to determine the appropriate logo and
words that are displayed on the plates.
In addition to the contribution, the person receiving the specialty license plate must pay
an annual $10 Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) fee. The fee’s purpose is to compensate the BMV
for the additional services required to issue each specialty license plate. The BMV fee is deposited
into the existing Public Safety – Highway Purposes Fund.1 All other registration requirements
apply to the new plates. The new plates may be issued for passenger cars, noncommercial motor
vehicles, recreational vehicles, and any other vehicle of a class approved by the Registrar.
The new specialty license plates created by the bill are set forth in the following table.
* This analysis was prepared before the report of the House Homeland Security Committee appeared in
the House Journal. Note that the legislative history may be incomplete.
1 R.C. 4501.06, not in the act.
December 11, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
New specialty license plates
Name of the
specialty license Sponsoring organization Contribution Use of Contribution2
plate
“Continue Your Ben Morrison Memorial Fund $10 For scholarships and other
Story” license programs that support mental
plate3 health.
“Iota Phi Theta” Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. $15 For the development and
license plate4 perpetuation of scholarship,
leadership, citizenship, fidelity,
and brotherhood among men
and youth in Ohio.
“Purdue Purdue University $30 For purposes of awarding grants
University” or scholarships to residents of
license plate5 Ohio who attend the University.
The University may not use any
of the funds it receives for
purposes of administering the
scholarship program.
“Save a Warrior” Save a Warrior, Inc. $10 To prevent suicide by active
license plate6 members of the Armed Forces of
the
United States, veterans of those
Armed Forces, and first
responders.
“Ohio Craft Ohio Craft Brewers $20 To the Ohio Craft Brewers
Brewers” license Association Association.
plate7
2 R.C. 4501.21.
3 R.C. 4503.4912.
4 R.C. 4503.512.
5 R.C. 4503.520.
6 R.C. 4503.536.
7 R.C. 4503.542.
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New specialty license plates
Name of the
specialty license Sponsoring organization Contribution Use of Contribution2
plate
“Blue Star Ohio Department of Veterans No
Banner” license Services contribution
plate8
“Terrace Park” Terrace Park Recreation $20 To offer scholarships to young
license plate9 Committee athletes of, and maintain athletic
facilities in, the municipal
corporation of Terrace Park.
“Ohio Mountain Ohio Mountain Bike Alliance $25 To the Mountain Bike Alliance.
Bike Alliance”
license plate10
“NASA Glenn NASA Glenn Research Center No
Research Center” contribution
license plate11
“Ohio State Ohio Grange Patrons of $25 To support the activities of the
Grange” license Husbandry Foundation organization.
plate12
“Jackson Local Jackson Local School District $30 Equally paid to the Jackson Local
Schools” license Schools Foundation and the
plate13 Jackson High School Alumni
Association for the Foundation's
and Alumni Association's
purposes.
8 R.C. 4503.547.
9 R.C. 4503.585.
10 R.C. 4503.586.
11 R.C. 4503.587.
12 R.C. 4503.588.
13 R.C. 4503.598.
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New specialty license plates
Name of the
specialty license Sponsoring organization Contribution Use of Contribution2
plate
“Suicide Ohio Suicide Prevention $25 For suicide prevention programs,
Prevention” Foundation education, and advocacy.
license plate14
“H.E.A.R.T. 4 Heart4seniors/healthcare $30 For purposes of the Foundation's
Seniors” license Evolution Alert Response mission.
plate15 Technology Foundation, Inc.
“Ohio Society Ohio Society Daughters of the $10 For continuing the Society’s
Daughters of the American Revolution endeavors in service, historic
American preservation, education, and
Revolution” patriotism.
license plate16
“West Virginia West Virginia University $25 For awarding grants or
University” scholarships to residents of Ohio
license plate17 who attend the University. The
University may not use any of
the funds it receives for purposes
of administering the scholarship
program.
“Blanchester Blanchester Schools $20 For funding student scholarships
Wildcats” license Foundation and for funding activities and
plate18 programs for at-risk students.
“Lakeside Lake Chautauqua Foundation $25 For conservation and
Chautauqua” preservation of Lake Erie and the
license plate19 surrounding ecosystem.
14 R.C. 4503.726.
15 R.C. 4503.735.
16 R.C. 4503.766.
17 R.C. 4503.851.
18 R.C. 4503.894.
19 R.C. 4503.895.
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New specialty license plates
Name of the
specialty license Sponsoring organization Contribution Use of Contribution2
plate
“American American Legion Auxiliary $10 To support the American Legion,
Legion Auxiliary” Department of Ohio current and former military
license plate20 members, and their families.
“Ohio Society for Ohio Society for Respiratory $25 To benefit the Ohio Society for
Respiratory Care of the American Respiratory Care Student
Care” license Association for Respiratory Scholarship Fund.
plate21 Care, Inc.
“Jesup W. Scott Jesup W. Scott High School $10 To Jesup W. Scott High School's
High School” Principal Activities Fund to
license plate22 enhance learning opportunities
for the high school's students.
“Hilliard Hilliard City School District $30 To support the Hilliard Davidson
Davidson Baseball Club.
Wildcats” license
plate23
“Weirdo Cat Weird Cat Lovers of Cleveland $15 To further its mission of assisting
Lovers of pet parents with emergency
Cleveland” veterinary bills for their feline
license plate24 companions, providing food and
litter to those in economic need,
and controlling feral cat
populations through the process
of trap-neuter-return to the
community.
20R.C. 4503.896 and 4503.78, not in the bill. This specialty license plate is exempt from the requirement
that the Registrar receive written statements from at least 150 people that they intend to apply for and
obtain the license plates before the Registrar provides for the issuance of those license plates.
21 R.C. 4503.934.
22 R.C. 4503.935.
23 R.C. 4503.936.
24 R.C. 4503.943.
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New specialty license plates
Name of the
specialty license Sponsoring organization Contribution Use of Contribution2
plate
“Historical and Ohio Society, Sons of the $20 For special projects related to
Patriotic American Revolution historical education.
Education”
license plate25
“Dublin City Dublin City School District $25 To the Dublin food pantry, which
Schools” license shall use the contributions to
plate26 provide food, hygiene products,
and other resources to
individuals and families
experiencing food insecurity.
“Norton Music Norton Music Boosters $40 To provide financial assistance to
Boosters” license Association the Norton high school music
plate27 boosters for equipment, travel,
and programming expenses.
Changes to existing specialty license plates
“Ohio Carpenters” license plates
The bill requires the Registrar to make the “Ohio Carpenters” specialty license plates
available for use on a motorcycle. Additionally, the bill adds a required $10 contribution for
persons who obtain the “Ohio Carpenters” specialty license plate. The Registrar must pay those
contributions to the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters who must use the
money to assist its members who are experiencing financial hardship. The bill retains current law
which allows those who own passenger cars, noncommercial motor vehicles, recreational
vehicles, and any other vehicle approved by the Registrar to obtain these specialty plates. 28
“American Legion” license plate
The bill excludes the American Legion license plate from the requirement that the
Registrar receive written statements from at least 150 people who intend to apply for the license
plate. Generally, the Registrar is not required to implement any legislation that creates a specialty
25 R.C. 4503.946.
26 R.C. 4503.959.
27 R.C. 4503.965.
28 R.C. 4503.21 and 4503.53.
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license plate unless the Registrar receives written statements from at least 150 people expressing
intent to apply for the license plate.29
“Ohio Natural Energy Foundation” license plate
The bill renames the “Ohio Natural Energy Institute” license plate to the “Ohio Natural
Energy Foundation” license plate and corrects the name of the sponsoring organization. Further,
the bill adds that the “Ohio Natural Energy Foundation” license plate may be issued for a
commercial car, bus, trailer, or semitrailer that is not subject to the International Registration
Plan (i.e. commercial vehicles that only operate in Ohio). The bill retains current law in that this
plate may be issued for passenger cars, noncommercial vehicles, and recreational vehicles.30
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 10-03-23
Reported, S. Transportation 02-28-24
Passed Senate (30-0) 04-10-24
Reported, H. Homeland Security ---
ANSB0163RH-135/sb
29 R.C. 4503.583(D) and 4503.78, not in the bill.
30 R.C. 4501.21 and 4503.584.
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Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 4501.21
As Reported By Senate Committee: 4501.21
As Passed By Senate: 4501.21