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. (a) A person described in Section 5101 may also apply for a
set of commemorative collegiate reflectorized license plates, and the
department shall issue those special license plates in lieu of the
regular license plates. The collegiate reflectorized plates shall be
of a distinctive design, and shall be available in a special series
of letters or numbers, or both, as determined by the department. The
collegiate reflectorized plates shall also contain the name of the
participating institution as well as the reflectorized logotype,
motto, symbol, or other distinctive design, as approved by the
department, representing the participating university or college
selected by the applicant. The department may issue the commemorative
collegiate reflectorized license plates as environmental license
plates, as defined in Section 5103, in a combination of numbers or
letters, or both, as requested by the owner or lessee of the vehicle.
(b) Any public or private postsecondary educational institution in
the state, which is accredited or has been accepted as a recognized
candidate for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges, may indicate to the department its decision to be included
in the commemorative collegiate license plate program and submit its
distinctive design for the logotype, motto, symbol, or other design.
However, no public or private postsecondary educational institution
may be included in the program until not less than 5,000 applications
are received for license plates containing that institution's
logotype, motto, symbol, or other design. Each participating
institution shall collect and hold applications for collegiate
license plates until it has received at least 5,000 applications.
Once the institution has received at least 5,000 applications, it
shall submit the applications, along with the necessary fees, to the
department. Upon receiving the first application, the institution
shall have one calendar year to receive the remaining required
applications. If, after that one calendar year, 5,000 applications
have not been received, the institution shall refund to all
applicants any fees or deposits which have been collected.
(c) In addition to the regular fees for an original registration,
a renewal of registration, or a transfer of registration, the
following commemorative collegiate license plate fees shall be paid:
(1) Fifty dollars ($50) for the initial issuance of the plates.
These plates shall be permanent and shall not be required to be
replaced.
(2) Forty dollars ($40) for each renewal of registration which
includes the continued display of the plates.
(3) Fifteen dollars ($15) for transfer of the plates to another
vehicle.
(4) Thirty-five dollars ($35) for replacement plates, if the
plates become damaged or unserviceable.
(d) When payment of renewal fees is not required as specified in
Section 4000, or when the person determines to retain the
commemorative collegiate license plates upon sale, trade, or other
release of the vehicle upon which the plates have been displayed, the
person shall notify the department and the person may retain the
plates.
(e) Of the revenue derived from the additional special fees
provided in this section, less costs incurred by the department
pursuant to this section, one-half shall be deposited in the
California Collegiate License Plate Fund, which is hereby created,
and one-half shall be deposited in the California Environmental
License Plate Fund.
(f) The money in the California Collegiate License Plate Fund is,
notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, continuously
appropriated to the Controller for allocation as follows:
(1) To the governing body of participating public institutions in
the proportion that funds are collected on behalf of each, to be used
for need-based scholarships, distributed according to federal
student aid guidelines.
(2) With respect to funds collected on behalf of accredited
nonprofit, private, and independent colleges and universities in the
state, to the California Student Aid Commission for grants to
students at those institutions, in the proportion that funds are
collected on behalf of each institution, who demonstrate eligibility
and need in accordance with the Cal Grant Program pursuant to Chapter
1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42 of the Education
Code, but who did not receive an award based on a listing prepared by
the California Student Aid Commission.
(g) The scholarships and grants shall be awarded without regard to
race, religion, creed, sex, or age.
(h) The Resources License Plate Fund is hereby abolished and all
remaining funds shall be transferred to the California Environmental
License Plate Fund effective July 1, 2014.