BILL NUMBER: AB 270INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nazarian FEBRUARY 10, 2015 An act to add Section 5164 to the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 270, as introduced, Nazarian. Specialized license plates: diabetes awareness. Existing law establishes a specialized license plate program and requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialized license plates to a sponsoring state agency that meets certain requirements. The DMV is required to charge specified fees related to the issuance of those plates and to deposit the fees, less the DMV's costs, in the Specialized License Plate Fund. Existing law requires that moneys in the fund be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each sponsoring agency in proportion to the amount that is attributable to the agency's specialized license plate program. Existing law authorizes the sponsoring agency to use these moneys to fund projects and programs that promote the state agency's official policy, mission, or work. This bill would require the Department of Public Health to apply to the DMV to sponsor a license plate that promotes diabetes awareness, education, and research, and that displays the message "Cure Diabetes" under the numerical series. The bill would require the DMV to deposit the fees for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of these license plates, less the DMV's costs, into the Diabetes Awareness Account, which the bill would create. The bill would continuously appropriate the money deposited in the Diabetes Awareness Account to the Department of Public Health to fund projects and programs related to diabetes awareness and prevention in California. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 5164 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read: 5164. (a) The Department of Public Health shall apply to the department to sponsor a diabetes awareness, education, and research license plate program. The department shall issue specialized license plates for that program if the Department of Public Health satisfies the requirements of Section 5156. (b) License plates issued pursuant to this section shall display the message "Cure Diabetes" under the numerical series. The Department of Public Health may also accept and use donated artwork from California artists for the license plate. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 5157, the additional fees prescribed by Section 5157 for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the specialized license plates shall be deposited, after the department deducts its administrative costs, in the Diabetes Awareness Account, which is hereby created in the Specialized License Plate Fund. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys within the account are hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal year, to the Department of Public Health to fund projects and programs related to diabetes awareness and prevention in California's diverse communities.