Section 249-NEW - [Newly enacted section not yet numbered] Special number plates for Malama Puuloa; authorized(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the director of finance shall issue to any registered owner of a motor vehicle, who is a resident of the State and has completed the application and paid the required fees, a special number plate for the registered owner's motor vehicle that commemorates Malama Puuloa and observes the organization's contributions to the restoration of Puuloa, also known as Pearl Harbor.(b) The director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu, in consultation with the directors of finance of the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii; the chiefs of police of the city and county of Honolulu and the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii; and the chief executive officer of Hui o Ho'ohonua shall establish a special number plate design that:(1) Contains words, images, or both, that indicate the special number plate is issued to recognize Malama Puuloa;(2) Is similar in shape and size to the uniform state number plate prescribed by law;(3) Does not exceed four and one-half inches in height by four and one-half inches in width;(4) Complies with all other requirements in section 249-9(a); and(5) Does not obstruct the visibility of the number or letters or any other information that is required by law to be on a number plate and is readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic conditions; provided that the director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu may also establish additional special number plate designs in conformance with this subsection and subsection (c) that jointly or separately recognize Malama Puuloa.
(c) The special number plate design shall not: (1) Infringe upon or otherwise violate any trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right;(2) Represent any obscene or degrading image, idea, word, or phrase;(3) Advertise or endorse a product, brand, or service that is provided for sale;(4) Promote any religious belief; or(5) Promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that is contrary to state civil rights laws.(d) Each special number plate shall be securely fastened to the motor vehicle in lieu of the uniform state number plate.(e) The director of finance shall charge a special number plate fee at least equal to the county's cost of providing the special number plate and administrative costs, if any, plus a fundraising fee to be determined by the director of finance in consultation with the chief executive officer of Hui o Ho'ohonua. The fundraising fee shall be in addition to any other state or county fees collected for a motor vehicle registration or license plate.(f) The director of finance may charge an additional fundraising fee, of the same or a different amount as the fundraising fee established pursuant to subsection (e), for the renewal of a special number plate. If an additional fundraising fee is implemented pursuant to this subsection, the director of finance shall not renew and instead shall revoke the special number plate of the registered owner of a motor vehicle who fails to pay the additional fundraising fee imposed by this subsection.(g) The revenue generated by the fundraising fees, or a portion of the revenue generated by the fundraising fees as determined by the director of finance, shall be deposited in the name of Malama Puuloa in a separate county budget account. The director of finance shall determine the most efficient means of directing the net revenue generated by the fundraising fees to Malama Puuloa, as appropriate, to fund the restoration of Puuloa, or Pearl Harbor.(h) The director of finance may revoke all special number plates issued pursuant to this section if the total number of registered owners of motor vehicles who obtain the special number plates is less than one hundred fifty within three years of issuance of the first special number plate.(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any plates issued pursuant to section 249-9.2.(j) For the purposes of this section, unless a different meaning appears from the context, "special number plate" means a license plate that commemorates Malama Puuloa."Added by L 2024, c 81,§ 2, eff. 6/21/2024.