STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1151
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RA, COLTON -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to "I Support
Music Education" distinctive plates; and to amend the state finance
law, in relation to establishing the "I support music education" fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 404-ff to read as follows:
3 § 404-ff. Distinctive "I Support Music Education" license plates. 1.
4 Any person residing in this state shall, upon request, be issued a
5 distinctive license plate bearing the phrase "I Support Music Educa-
6 tion". Application for said license plate shall be filed with the
7 commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall
8 prescribe.
9 2. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
10 in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular
11 registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article;
12 provided, however, that an additional annual service charge of twenty-
13 five dollars shall be charged for such plates.
14 3. Each twenty-five dollars received as the annual service charge
15 under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the "I support
16 music education" fund established pursuant to section ninety-five-j of
17 the state finance law and shall be used for music education programs
18 undertaken pursuant to section ninety-five-l of the state finance law.
19 § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 95-l to
20 read as follows:
21 § 95-l. "I support music education" fund. 1. There is hereby estab-
22 lished in the joint custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance
23 and the comptroller a fund to be known as the "I support music educa-
24 tion" fund.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00689-01-5
A. 1151 2
1 2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received pursuant to
2 section four hundred four-ff of the vehicle and traffic law, and all
3 other moneys appropriated, credited or transferred thereto from any
4 other fund or source pursuant to law. Nothing contained in this section
5 shall prevent the state from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the
6 purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them into
7 the fund according to law.
8 2-a. On or before the first day of February each year, the comptroller
9 shall certify to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speak-
10 er of the assembly, chair of the senate finance committee and chair of
11 the assembly ways and means committee, the amount of money deposited in
12 the "I support music education" fund during the preceding calendar year
13 as the result of revenue derived pursuant to section four hundred four-
14 ff of the vehicle and traffic law and from grants, gifts and bequests.
15 3. Monies of the fund shall be expended only for music education
16 projects approved by the department of education in New York state.
17 4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of
18 the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner
19 of education.
20 § 3. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff of
21 the vehicle and traffic law shall only be designed, produced and issued
22 upon the delivery to the department of motor vehicles of a surety bond
23 in the amount of six thousand dollars, which shall be executed by a
24 surety company authorized by the department of financial services to
25 transact business in this state. Provided, however, that if the commis-
26 sioner of motor vehicles shall have received prior to plate design,
27 production and issuance at least two hundred orders for such distinctive
28 plate together with the additional annual service charge applicable to
29 each such order, which shall be non-refundable, no such surety bond
30 shall be required. All service charges collected pursuant to this
31 section shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section 404-oo
32 of the vehicle and traffic law to the credit of the department of motor
33 vehicles distinctive plate development fund established by section 95-l
34 of the state finance law and shall be used for the design, production,
35 advertising and distribution of distinctive license plates in accordance
36 with such section 95-l.
37 2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which
38 distinctive plates in the series are first available for sale two
39 hundred or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant
40 to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
41 such plates are sold by such time, the department of motor vehicles
42 shall be entitled to recover against the bond in an amount proportionate
43 to such shortfall.
44 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
45 sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the one hundred
46 eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
47 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
48 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
49 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.