CS for SB 1246 directs the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create a new specialty license plate called the “Save Coastal Wildlife” plate. The plate must follow department-approved design standards, display the word “Florida” at the top, the phrase “Save Coastal Wildlife” at the bottom, and include an American flamingo image. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
The measure also establishes how annual use fees from the plate will be distributed. The fees are to be sent to the Zoo Miami Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for conservation of imperiled coastal wildlife and ecosystems through field conservation and mission-focused research. Up to 10% of the annual use fees may be used for plate design, administrative costs, and marketing. Of the remaining funds, 85% must support programs at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Institute at Zoo Miami, and 15% must go to eligible Florida-based nonprofit organizations working to conserve native imperiled coastal wildlife and ecosystems.
Impact
The bill amends section 320.08058, Florida Statutes, by adding a new specialty license plate category and creating a dedicated funding stream for coastal wildlife conservation. It affects the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Zoo Miami Foundation, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Institute at Zoo Miami, and qualifying Florida nonprofit conservation organizations. The practical effect is to authorize a new optional vehicle plate and channel associated fees into conservation-related programs and grants.
Sentiment
The available committee votes show strong support for the bill, with unanimous approval in both the Senate Transportation Committee (8-0) and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development (13-0). No committee transcript objections are provided, and the vote history suggests broad bipartisan or noncontroversial support for the conservation-focused specialty plate.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the available record. The only likely policy considerations are the use of specialty plate revenues, the allocation of up to 10% for administrative and marketing costs, and the distribution formula between Zoo Miami-related programs and other Florida nonprofits. However, the unanimous committee votes indicate these issues did not generate visible opposition in committee.