To amend section 4501.21 and to enact section 4503.739 of the Revised Code to create the "Chillicothe Paints" license plate.
Summary
HB618 would create a new Ohio specialty license plate for the Chillicothe Paints. The bill authorizes owners or lessees of eligible vehicles to apply for the plate, requires the plate to display a logo and wording approved by the registrar and representatives of the Chillicothe Paints, and sets the standard specialty-plate fees and contribution structure. In addition to the regular registration charges and any applicable specialty-plate fees, applicants would pay a $10 contribution that is deposited into the state license plate contribution fund, plus a $10 administrative fee credited to the public safety-highway purposes fund.
The bill also amends the state’s license plate contribution fund statute to add section 4503.739 to the list of specialty plates whose contributions are distributed to designated recipients. Under the new section, the registrar would send the Chillicothe Paints plate contributions to Paints Sports and Entertainment, LLC, which would use the money to support nonprofit organizations and schools in southern Ohio. The bill leaves the broader specialty-plate contribution framework in place, but expands the list of entities eligible to receive annual distributions of investment earnings from the fund.
HB618’s impact on state law is narrow but concrete: it creates a new plate option under Ohio’s motor vehicle registration laws and adds a new revenue stream tied to that plate. It also requires the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to collect and route the contribution and administrative fee, and it formally places the new plate within the existing specialty license plate system governed by Chapter 4503 of the Revised Code. No other substantive policy area is changed beyond the specialty-plate funding mechanism.
Because the bill was only introduced and there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes, there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge legislative sentiment. Based on the text alone, the measure appears routine and locally focused, with the primary purpose of honoring and promoting the Chillicothe Paints while generating modest charitable support through plate sales. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments suggests no visible controversy at this stage.
The main point of contention, if any, would likely be limited to the general policy of expanding specialty license plates and directing driver-paid contributions to private nonprofit entities. However, no specific objections are documented in the available materials. The bill’s design is otherwise straightforward and noncontroversial on its face, centered on branding, fundraising, and local community support.
Impact
HB618 would amend Ohio’s motor vehicle registration statutes to add a new specialty plate under section 4503.739 and to update the license plate contribution fund in section 4501.21 so the new plate’s contributions are included in the statewide distribution system. It would require the registrar to collect a $10 contribution per application or renewal for the Chillicothe Paints plate, deposit that money into the license plate contribution fund, and send the proceeds to Paints Sports and Entertainment, LLC for support of nonprofits and schools in southern Ohio. The bill also imposes a separate $10 administrative fee credited to the public safety-highway purposes fund.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee testimony, no votes, and no recorded amendments, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition. On its face, the bill appears to be a routine specialty license plate measure with a positive, locally oriented purpose. The sentiment inferred from the text is generally favorable and low-conflict, with the bill framed as a community-support and fundraising vehicle rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the bill history provided. The only likely area of debate would be the broader use of specialty license plates to channel public contributions to private organizations, including whether the administrative and contribution fees are justified and whether the designated recipient is an appropriate steward of the funds. Because there were no committee transcripts or votes, it is not possible to identify any member, stakeholder, or interest group that formally raised objections.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
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