SB1311 creates a new Arizona specialty license plate program called the “West Valley charity special plates.” The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to issue the plates if, by December 31, 2025, a person pays $32,000 to cover implementation costs. The person or entity paying that fee gets to design the plate, subject to department approval, and the department may allow the specialty plate request to be combined with a personalized plate request.
The bill sets the plate fee at $25, with $8 retained as a special plate administration fee and $17 treated as an annual donation. Those donations are directed into a newly created West Valley charity special plate fund, while the administration fees go to the state highway fund. The first $32,000 collected in the fund is reimbursed to the entity that paid the implementation fee, and up to 10% of annual fund deposits may be used for administration. The fund is continuously appropriated and is invested by the state treasurer.
The bill also specifies who may receive the annual distributions from the fund. The recipient must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has existed since 2013, has at least 50 active volunteers, and serves Phoenix West Valley communities by assisting children, families, and veterans, helping people in need, and improving quality of life. The organization must also have an annual beneficiary grant award process. In effect, the bill creates a dedicated charitable funding stream tied to the sale of a new specialty plate.
Beyond creating the new plate and fund, SB1311 makes conforming changes to Arizona’s vehicle and highway statutes so the new plate is included in the state’s special-plate framework. It updates provisions governing license plate design, special plate issuance and transfer rules, and the list of special plate revenues excluded from the definition of highway user revenues. It also adds the new plate’s administration fees to the state highway fund sources and authorizes those funds to be used for special plate administration and related Department of Transportation costs.
The bill’s overall sentiment appears favorable, with strong support in committee and on final passage, though not unanimous. It passed the Senate 22-7 and the House 45-12, and committee votes were largely unanimous or near-unanimous. The main point of contention is likely the creation of a new specialty plate and the associated fee structure, including the $32,000 implementation payment and the diversion of $17 from each plate sale to a private charitable fund rather than general state purposes. Supporters appear to view it as a targeted local charity measure, while opponents likely objected to adding another specialty plate program or to the use of state vehicle registration mechanisms to channel money to a specific nonprofit.
SB1311 amends Arizona’s motor vehicle and highway revenue statutes to add a new specialty plate category and a dedicated charitable fund. It changes sections governing license plate design, special plate issuance and transfer, highway user revenue exclusions, and state highway fund sources and uses, while adding a new statutory section for the West Valley charity special plates. The bill affects the Department of Transportation, the state treasurer, specialty plate purchasers, and the nonprofit designated to receive annual distributions from the new fund.
The bill appears to have been generally well received, with unanimous or near-unanimous committee support and clear majority approval in both chambers. Final floor votes show some opposition, but the overall pattern suggests broad legislative acceptance of the concept of a West Valley charity specialty plate and its charitable funding purpose.
The likely points of contention were the creation of another specialty plate program, the requirement that a private party pay $32,000 upfront to launch it, and the earmarking of a portion of plate fees for a specific nonprofit rather than for general state use. Critics may also have questioned whether the eligibility criteria for the recipient organization were too tailored to a particular group, while supporters likely emphasized the charitable mission and local community benefits.