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." Eligible vehicle owners and lessees could apply for the plate, which would include a logo and wording approved by representatives of the team and the registrar of motor vehicles. The bill also sets a $10 contribution for each initial registration and renewal, along with a separate $10 administrative fee, and directs the registrar to issue the plate once the applicant pays the required fees and complies with existing registration laws.
Beyond the new plate, the bill amends Ohio’s specialty plate contribution statute to add the Chillicothe Paints to the long list of organizations and causes that receive money from the license plate contribution fund. The bill specifies that the $10 contribution from each Chillicothe Paints plate goes into that fund, while the administrative fee goes to the public safety-highway purposes fund. It also preserves the existing framework under which investment earnings in the fund are distributed annually to the beneficiary organizations in proportion to the money they received during the prior year.
Impact
The bill would add section 4503.739 to the Revised Code and amend section 4501.21 to include the new plate in Ohio’s specialty license plate contribution system. In practical terms, it creates a new revenue stream for Paints Sports and Entertainment, LLC, which would receive the plate contributions to support nonprofit organizations and schools in southern Ohio. It also expands the state’s existing specialty plate program without changing the general registration rules for other motorists, while directing the administrative fee to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ highway purposes fund.
Sentiment
Because the bill was only introduced and had no recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, there is no documented debate to gauge broad support or opposition. The measure appears largely administrative and locally focused, fitting the pattern of many Ohio specialty plate bills that are typically noncontroversial. The absence of recorded votes or transcripts suggests no visible public controversy at this stage.
Contention
No specific points of contention are reflected in the available record. If concerns were to arise, they would likely center on the proliferation of specialty plates, the use of state administrative resources to issue them, or whether the designated beneficiary is sufficiently public-serving. However, the bill text itself is straightforward and does not indicate any disputed policy changes beyond creating the plate and directing the associated contributions.