To amend section 4501.21 and to enact section 4503.736 of the Revised Code to create the "Play Golf Ohio" license plate.
Summary
SB 212 creates a new Ohio specialty license plate, the "Play Golf Ohio" plate, available for passenger cars, noncommercial motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, and other vehicle classes approved by the registrar. Applicants would pay the regular registration fees, any applicable motor vehicle taxes and special plate fees, a $10 administrative fee, and a $25 contribution tied to the plate. The plate design must include a logo and wording selected by representatives of the northern Ohio PGA and southern Ohio PGA golf foundations and approved by the registrar.
The bill also amends the state’s license plate contribution fund statute to add a new recipient for specialty plate revenue. Under the new section, the $25 contribution from each "Play Golf Ohio" plate registration or renewal would be deposited into the license plate contribution fund and then split equally between the northern Ohio PGA and southern Ohio PGA golf foundations. Those foundations must use the money to promote golf throughout Ohio. The bill also directs the $10 administrative fee to the public safety-highway purposes fund to cover Bureau of Motor Vehicles administrative costs.
Impact
SB 212 makes a targeted change to Ohio’s motor vehicle code by adding section 4503.736 and updating section 4501.21 to accommodate a new specialty plate and revenue distribution. It does not broadly alter tax law or transportation policy, but it does expand the state’s specialty plate program and create a new dedicated funding stream for two golf-related nonprofit foundations. The measure also requires the registrar to handle the plate design, collection of fees, and annual distribution of investment earnings from the license plate contribution fund in the same manner as other specialty plate programs.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support for the bill at every stage recorded: 6-0 in Senate committee, 33-0 on the Senate floor, and 13-0 in House committee. There are no committee transcripts provided, and no recorded opposition in the materials. Overall, the bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly accepted as a routine specialty plate measure.
Contention
No notable substantive contention is reflected in the provided record. Because the bill is a specialty license plate proposal, any discussion would likely have centered on the appropriateness of creating another plate, the use of the $25 contribution, and the administrative burden on the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. However, the unanimous votes and lack of transcripts suggest there was little or no disagreement among legislators about the bill’s purpose or mechanics.