As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 74
2025-2026
Representatives Miller, K., Ghanbari
Cosponsors: Representatives Williams, Sigrist, Fischer, Hiner, Klopfenstein,
Daniels, McClain
A B I L L
To amend sections 4503.038, 4503.19, and 5502.68
and to enact sections 4503.261 and 4503.262 of
the Revised Code to authorize a contract with a
private vendor for the issuance of specialty
license plates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 4503.038, 4503.19, and 5502.68 be
amended and sections 4503.261 and 4503.262 of the Revised Code
be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 4503.038. (A) Not later than ninety days after July
3, 2019, the The registrar of motor vehicles shall adopt rules
in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing
a service fee that applies for purposes of sections 4503.03,
4503.036, 4503.042, 4503.10, 4503.102, 4503.12, 4503.182,
4503.24, 4503.261, 4503.44, 4503.65, 4505.061, 4506.08, 4507.24,
4507.50, 4507.52, 4509.05, 4519.03, 4519.05, 4519.10, 4519.56,
and 4519.69 of the Revised Code. The service fee shall be five
dollars.
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(B) Not later than ninety days after July 3, 2019, the The
registrar shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of
the Revised Code establishing prorated service fees that apply
for purposes of multi-year registrations authorized under
section 4503.103 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4503.19. (A)(1) Upon the filing of an application for
registration and the payment of the tax for registration, the
registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar shall
determine whether the owner previously has been issued a license
plate for the motor vehicle described in the application. If no
license plate previously has been issued to the owner for that
motor vehicle, the registrar or deputy registrar shall assign to
the motor vehicle a distinctive number and issue and deliver to
the owner in the manner that the registrar may select a
certificate of registration, in the form that the registrar
shall prescribe. The registrar or deputy registrar also shall
charge the owner any fees required under division (C) of section
4503.10 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, any fees and
contribution required in accordance with section 4503.261 of the
Revised Code.
(2) The registrar or deputy registrar then shall deliver a
license plate and, when required, a validation sticker, or a
validation sticker alone, to be attached to the number plate as
provided in section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.
If an owner wishes to have two license plates, the
registrar or deputy registrar shall deliver two license plates,
duplicates of each other, and, when required, a validation
sticker, or a validation sticker alone, to be attached to the
number plates as provided in section 4503.191 of the Revised
Code. The owner shall display the license plate and, when
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required, the validation sticker on the rear of the vehicle.
However, a commercial tractor shall display the license plate on
the front of the commercial tractor and a chauffeured limousine
shall display a livery sticker along with a validation sticker
as provided in section 4503.24 of the Revised Code.
(3) The registrar or deputy registrar shall not issue a
license plate for a school bus. A school bus shall display
identifying numbers in the manner prescribed by section 4511.764
of the Revised Code.
(4) The certificate of registration shall be issued and
delivered to the owner in person, by mail, or by electronic
delivery. The license plate and, when required, validation
sticker, or validation sticker alone, shall be issued and
delivered to the owner in person or by mail.
(5) In the event of the loss, mutilation, or destruction
of any certificate of registration, or of any license plate or
validation sticker, or if the owner chooses to replace a license
plate previously issued for a motor vehicle, or if the
registration certificate and license plate have been impounded
as provided by division (B)(1) of section 4507.02 and section
4507.16 of the Revised Code, the owner of a motor vehicle, or
manufacturer or dealer, may obtain from the registrar, or from a
deputy registrar if authorized by the registrar, a duplicate
thereof or a new license plate bearing a different number, if
the registrar considers it advisable, upon filing an application
prescribed by the registrar, and upon paying a fee of one dollar
for such certificate of registration. The registrar shall
deposit the one dollar fee into the state treasury to the credit
of the public safety - highway purposes fund created in section
4501.06 of the Revised Code. The registrar or deputy registrar
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shall charge a fee of seven dollars and fifty cents for each set
of two license plates or six dollars and fifty cents for each
single license plate or validation sticker issued, which the
registrar shall deposit into the state treasury to the credit of
the public safety - highway purposes fund.
(6) Each applicant for a replacement certificate of
registration, license plate, or validation sticker also shall
pay the fees provided in divisions (C) and (D) of section
4503.10 of the Revised Code and, any applicable fee under
section 4503.192 of the Revised Code , and any applicable fee or
contribution under section 4503.261 of the Revised Code .
Additionally, the registrar and each deputy registrar who
either issues a license plate and a validation sticker for use
on any vehicle other than a commercial tractor, semitrailer, or
apportioned vehicle, or who issues a validation sticker alone
for use on such a vehicle and the owner has changed the owner's
county of residence since the owner last was issued a county
identification sticker, also shall issue and deliver to the
owner a county identification sticker, which shall be attached
to the license plate in a manner prescribed by the director of
public safety. The county identification sticker shall identify
prominently by name or number the county in which the owner of
the vehicle resides at the time of registration.
(B) A certificate of registration issued under this
section shall have a portion that contains all the information
contained in the main portion of the certificate except for the
address of the person to whom the certificate is issued. Except
as provided in this division, whenever a reference is made in
the Revised Code to a motor vehicle certificate of registration
that is issued under this section, the reference shall be deemed
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to refer to either the main portion of the certificate or the
portion containing all information in the main portion except
the address of the person to whom the certificate is issued. If
a reference is made in the Revised Code to the seizure or
surrender of a motor vehicle certificate of registration that is
issued under this section, the reference shall be deemed to
refer to both the main portion of the certificate and the
portion containing all information in the main portion except
the address of the person to whom the certificate is issued.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor
misdemeanor.
Sec. 4503.261. (A)(1) The registrar of motor vehicles
shall use a competitive selection process to select a vendor for
a contract to operate a specialty license plate program.
(2) Beginning nine months after the effective date of this
section, the vendor shall design and market specialty license
plates, including specialty license plates required to be issued
by the registrar under this chapter. Under the program, the
registrar remains responsible for the issuance of any specialty
license plate and validation sticker and the collection of taxes
and fees related to a specialty license plate. The contract
shall be for a period not to exceed two years and may be
extended for additional two-year terms.
(3) A vendor selected under division (A)(1) of this
section is exempt from section 4503.106 of the Revised Code.
(B) Any contract entered into under this section shall
include, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) A requirement that the vendor utilize electronic
infrastructure that is compatible with infrastructure used by
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the bureau of motor vehicles;
(2) Provisions concerning the security of the information
exchanged through the electronic infrastructure utilized by the
registrar, the vendor, and any other third parties;
(3) Provisions allowing an owner or lessee to select the
combination of letters and numbers appearing on a license plate
in accordance with section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised
Code, subject to approval by the registrar;
(4) Subject to division (C) of this section, provisions
allowing an owner or lessee purchasing a specialty license plate
created by the vendor to select various design features of the
license plate;
(5) Subject to division (C) of this section, provisions
allowing the vendor to enter into an agreement with any person
for the marketing and sale of a specialty license plate that is
not offered by the registrar under this chapter. A person or
entity that has sponsored a specialty license plate offered by
the registrar under this chapter may create a new specialty
license plate through the private vendor.
(6) Provisions specifying that the vendor shall comply
with all applicable copyright and trademark laws;
(7) A requirement that the registrar collect the following
fees and contribution, in amounts established in the contract,
related to the issuance of license plates under the program that
are in addition to any applicable motor vehicle registration
taxes and fees levied under Chapters 4503. and 4504. of the
Revised Code:
(a) A fee to compensate the registrar for costs associated
with program administration and license plate production and
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design. Fees collected under division (B)(7)(a) of this section
shall be deposited in the public safety-highway purposes fund
created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.
(b) A fee to compensate the vendor for the performance of
its duties under the contract. Fees collected under division (B)
(7)(b) of this section shall be deposited in the public safety
license plate contract fund created in section 4503.262 of the
Revised Code.
(c) A contribution for deposit in the drug law enforcement
fund created in section 5502.68 of the Revised Code.
(8) Provisions requiring the vendor to comply with all
applicable requirements of the Revised Code and the Ohio
Administrative Code.
(C)(1) The registrar shall submit each specialty license
plate design created under the specialty license plate program
established under this section to the controlling board. The
registrar shall submit plate designs to the board either
individually or in a group as the registrar determines. The
board may vote to approve or disapprove a group of plates or an
individual plate from a group of plates as the board determines.
The board has final authority regarding the design and content
of any specialty license plate created under the program and
shall approve or disapprove of any proposed specialty license
plate.
(2) Before the registrar submits a specialty license plate
to the controlling board for approval, the registrar may consult
with the superintendent of the state highway patrol concerning
any specialty license plate regarding readability, reflectivity,
and public safety.
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(3) The registrar shall not restrict the background color,
color combinations, or color of alphanumeric license plate
numbers of a specialty license plate proposed by the private
vendor except for purposes of public safety.
(D)(1) If a contract with a vendor is entered into under
this section, the owner or lessee of any passenger car,
noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other
vehicle of a class approved by the registrar and the vendor may
apply for registration of the vehicle and issuance by the
registrar of a specialty license plate pursuant to this section.
(2) A specialty license plate available through the
program and a validation sticker, or validation sticker alone,
shall be issued by the registrar in coordination with the vendor
to the owner or lessee upon receipt of a completed application
under this section; payment of the regular license tax as
prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any
applicable motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the
Revised Code, any applicable additional fee prescribed under
section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, any additional
fees required by the vendor; and compliance with all other
applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.
(E) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, the registrar may execute all duties required by this
section and take all necessary actions to implement its
requirements.
Sec. 4503.262. The public safety license plate contract
fund is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of
fees collected by the registrar pursuant to division (B)(7)(b)
of section 4503.261 of the Revised Code. The registrar shall use
the money in the fund to compensate the private vendor selected
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under section 4503.261 of the Revised Code for the performance
of its duties under the contract authorized under that section.
Sec. 5502.68. (A) There is hereby created in the state
treasury the drug law enforcement fund. The fund consists of the
following:
(1) Ninety-seven per cent of three dollars and fifty cents
out of each ten-dollar court cost imposed pursuant to section
2949.094 of the Revised Code shall be credited to the fund. ;
(2) Contributions required to be deposited in the fund
under section 4503.261 of the Revised Code.
Money in the fund shall be used only in accordance with
this section to award grants to counties, municipal
corporations, townships, township police districts, and joint
police districts to defray the expenses that a drug task force
organized in the county, or in the county in which the municipal
corporation, township, or district is located, incurs in
performing its functions related to the enforcement of the
state's drug laws and other state laws related to illegal drug
activity.
The division of criminal justice services shall administer
all money deposited into the drug law enforcement fund and, by
rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall
establish procedures for a county, municipal corporation,
township, township police district, or joint police district to
apply for money from the fund to defray the expenses that a drug
task force organized in the county, or in the county in which
the municipal corporation, township, or district is located,
incurs in performing its functions related to the enforcement of
the state's drug laws and other state laws related to illegal
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drug activity, procedures and criteria for determining
eligibility of applicants to be provided money from the fund,
and procedures and criteria for determining the amount of money
to be provided out of the fund to eligible applicants.
(B) The procedures and criteria established under division
(A) of this section for applying for money from the fund shall
include, but shall not be limited to, a provision requiring a
county, municipal corporation, township, township police
district, or joint police district that applies for money from
the fund to specify in its application the amount of money
desired from the fund, provided that the cumulative amount
requested in all applications submitted for any single drug task
force may not exceed more than two hundred fifty thousand
dollars in any calendar year for that task force.
(C) The procedures and criteria established under division
(A) of this section for determining eligibility of applicants to
be provided money from the fund and for determining the amount
of money to be provided out of the fund to eligible applicants
shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Provisions requiring that, in order to be eligible to
be provided money from the fund, a drug task force that applies
for money from the fund must provide evidence that the drug task
force will receive a local funding match of at least twenty-five
per cent of the task force's projected operating costs in the
period of time covered by the grant;
(2) Provisions requiring that money from the fund be
allocated and provided to drug task forces that apply for money
from the fund in accordance with the following priorities:
(a) Drug task forces that apply, that are in existence on
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the date of the application, and that are determined to be
eligible applicants, and to which either of the following
applies shall be given first priority to be provided money from
the fund:
(i) Drug task forces that received funding through the
division of criminal justice services in calendar year 2007;
(ii) Drug task forces in a county that has a population
that exceeds seven hundred fifty thousand.
(b) If any moneys remain in the fund after all drug task
forces that apply, that are in existence on the date of the
application, that are determined to be eligible applicants, and
that satisfy the criteria set forth in division (C)(2)(a)(i) or
(ii) of this section are provided money from the fund as
described in division (C)(2)(a) of this section, the following
categories of drug task forces that apply and that are
determined to be eligible applicants shall be given priority to
be provided money from the fund in the order in which they apply
for money from the fund:
(i) Drug task forces that are not in existence on the date
of the application;
(ii) Drug task forces that are in existence on the date of
the application but that do not satisfy the criteria set forth
in division (C)(2)(a)(i) or (ii) of this section.
(D) The procedures and criteria established under division
(A) of this section for determining the amount of money to be
provided out of the fund to eligible applicants shall include,
but shall not be limited to, a provision specifying that the
cumulative amount provided to any single drug task force may not
exceed more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars in any
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calendar year.
(E) Any drug task force for which a grant is awarded by
the division of criminal justice services under this section
shall comply with all grant requirements established by the
division, including a requirement that the drug task force
report its activities through the El Paso intelligence center
information technology systems.
(F) As used in this section, "drug task force" means a
drug task force organized in any county by the sheriff of the
county, the prosecuting attorney of the county, the chief of
police of the organized police department of any municipal
corporation or township in the county, and the chief of police
of the police force of any township police district or joint
police district in the county to perform functions related to
the enforcement of state drug laws and other state laws related
to illegal drug activity.
Section 2. That existing sections 4503.038, 4503.19, and
5502.68 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
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