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S. B. No. 2883 *SS36/R1156* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
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To: Finance
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Michel
SENATE BILL NO. 2883
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-56.535, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION PERIOD FOR THE ISSUANCE OF 2
DISTINCTIVE MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE TAGS TO SUPPORTERS OF WILDLIFE 3
MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF ALTERNATIVE DISTINCTIVE 4
TAGS TO SUPPORTERS OF WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH 5
ALTERNATIVE TAGS SHALL HAVE A BLACK BACKGROUND AND A WHITE 6
PINSTRIPE BORDER, AND SHALL HAVE "MISSISSIPPI" PRINTED AT THE TOP, 7
AND "WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI" PRINTED AT THE BOTTOM; TO AMEND SECTION 8
27-19-44, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT, BEFORE EITHER 9
TAG MAY BE ISSUED, WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI MUST SUBMIT PROOF 10
SATISFACTORY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE THAT AT LEAST 100 OF 11
SUCH TAGS WILL BE PURCHASED AND MUST DEPOSIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT 12
AN AMOUNT NECESSARY TO PURCHASE 100 OF SUCH TAGS; AND FOR RELATED 13
PURPOSES. 14
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 15
SECTION 1. Section 27-19-56.535, Mississippi Code of 1972, 16
is amended as follows: 17
27-19-56.535. (1) Beginning with any registration year 18
commencing on or after July 1, 2024, any owner of a motor vehicle 19
who is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and 20
bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as 21
prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup 22
trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of 23
an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this 24
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section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for any motor 25
vehicle registered in his name identifying such person as a 26
supporter of Wildlife Mississippi. The distinctive license tags 27
so issued shall be of such color and design as the department, 28
with the advice of Wildlife Mississippi, may prescribe and shall 29
consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary 30
to distinguish each license tag. 31
(2) Beginning with any registration year commencing on or 32
after July 1, 2027, as an alternative to the tag authorized in 33
subsection (1) of this section, any owner of a motor vehicle who 34
is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and bridge 35
privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as 36
prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup 37
trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of 38
an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this 39
section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for any motor 40
vehicle registered in his name identifying such person as a 41
supporter of Wildlife Mississippi. The distinctive tags so issued 42
shall have a black background and a white pinstripe border and 43
shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be 44
necessary to distinguish each tag. "Mississippi" shall be printed 45
at the top, and "Wildlife Mississippi" shall be printed at the 46
bottom. 47
( * * *3) Application for the distinctive license tags 48
authorized by this section shall be made to the county tax 49
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collector on forms prescribed by the department. The application 50
and the additional fee imposed under subsection (3) of this 51
section, less Two Dollars ($2.00) thereof to be retained by the 52
tax collector, shall be remitted to the department on a monthly 53
basis as prescribed by the department. The portion of the 54
additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited 55
into the county general fund. 56
( * * *4) Any person applying for a distinctive license tag 57
under this section shall pay an additional fee in the amount of 58
Thirty Dollars ($30.00) for each distinctive license tag applied 59
for under this section, which shall be in addition to all other 60
taxes and fees. The additional fee paid shall be for a period of 61
time to run concurrently with the vehicle's established license 62
tag year. The additional fee is due and payable at the time the 63
original application is made for a distinctive license tag under 64
this section and thereafter annually at the time of renewal 65
registration as long as the owner retains the distinctive license 66
tag. If the owner does not wish to retain the distinctive license 67
tag, he must surrender it to the local county tax collector. 68
( * * *5) The department shall deposit all fees into the 69
State Treasury on the day collected. At the end of each month, 70
the department shall certify to the State Treasurer the total fees 71
collected under this section from the issuance of the distinctive 72
license tags issued under this section. The State Treasurer shall 73
distribute such collections as follows: 74
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(a) Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) of each additional fee 75
collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this 76
section shall be distributed to Wildlife Mississippi. 77
(b) One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected 78
on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall 79
be deposited into the Mississippi Burn Care Fund created pursuant 80
to Section 7-9-70. 81
(c) Two Dollars ($2.00) of each additional fee 82
collected on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this 83
section shall be deposited to the credit of the State Highway Fund 84
to be expended solely for the repair, maintenance, construction or 85
reconstruction of highways. 86
(d) One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected 87
on distinctive license tags issued pursuant to this section shall 88
be deposited to the credit of the special fund created in Section 89
27-19-44.2. 90
( * * *6) A regular license tag must be properly displayed 91
as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag 92
under this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered 93
to the tax collector upon issuance of the distinctive license tag 94
under this section. The tax collector shall issue up to two (2) 95
license decals for each distinctive license tag issued under this 96
section, which will expire the same month and year as the regular 97
license tag. 98
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( * * *7) In the case of loss or theft of a distinctive 99
license tag issued under this section, the owner may make 100
application and affidavit for a replacement distinctive license 101
tag as provided by Section 27-19-37. The fee for a replacement 102
distinctive license tag shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00). The tax 103
collector receiving such application and affidavit shall be 104
entitled to retain and deposit into the county general fund five 105
percent (5%) of the fee for such replacement license tag and the 106
remainder shall be distributed in the same manner as funds from 107
the sale of regular distinctive license tags issued under this 108
section. 109
( * * *8) In order for a distinctive license tag to be 110
issued under subsection (1) of this section, the provisions of 111
Section 27-19-44(3) must be satisfied for the * * * tag before 112
July 1, * * * 2029. In order for a distinctive tag to be issued 113
under subsection (2) of this section, the provisions of Section 114
27-19-44(3) must be satisfied for the tag before July 1, 2029. 115
SECTION 2. Section 27-19-44, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 116
amended as follows: 117
27-19-44. (1) For any distinctive license tag or plate 118
authorized by the Legislature from and after July 1, 2000, through 119
June 30, 2002, or authorized by Sections 27-19-56.37 and 120
27-19-56.55, the requirements of this subsection must be met 121
before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or 122
plate. The organization or other entity for which the Legislature 123
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authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof 124
satisfactory to the department that at least one hundred (100) of 125
such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit 126
with the department an amount necessary to purchase one hundred 127
(100) of such license tags or plates. The organization or other 128
entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive 129
license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of this 130
subsection (1) within two (2) years after the effective date of 131
the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit 132
the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. 133
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1) of this 134
section, for any distinctive license tag or plate authorized by 135
the Legislature from and after July 1, 2002, through June 30, 136
2007, the requirements of this subsection must be met before the 137
department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. 138
The organization or other entity for which the Legislature 139
authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof 140
satisfactory to the department that at least two hundred (200) of 141
such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit 142
with the department an amount necessary to purchase two hundred 143
(200) of such license tags or plates. The organization or other 144
entity for which the Legislature authorized the distinctive 145
license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements of this 146
subsection (2) within three (3) years after the effective date of 147
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the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit 148
the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. 149
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, Section 150
27-19-56.7, Section 27-19-56.56, Section 27-19-56.59, Section 151
27-19-56.85 or Section 27-19-56.94, for any distinctive license 152
tag or plate authorized or reauthorized by the Legislature from 153
and after July 1, 2007, the following requirements must be met 154
before the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or 155
plate: 156
(a) The organization or other entity for which the 157
Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must 158
submit proof satisfactory to the department that at least three 159
hundred (300) of such license tags or plates will be purchased and 160
must deposit with the department an amount necessary to purchase 161
three hundred (300) of such license tags or plates. 162
(b) The organization or other entity for which the 163
Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must 164
satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) 165
within three (3) years after the effective date of the law 166
authorizing the license tag or plate in order to permit the 167
license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. This paragraph 168
(b) shall not apply to distinctive tags or plates issued under 169
Section 27-19-56.154. 170
(4) Any distinctive license tag authorized under * * * 171
Section 27-19-56.186, 27-19-56.203 * * *, 27-19-56.315, 172
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27-19-56.535(1) or 27-19-56.535(2) must meet the requirements of 173
this subsection before the department may prepare or issue any 174
such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for 175
which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or 176
plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at 177
least one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates will be 178
purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary 179
to purchase one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates. The 180
organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized 181
the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements 182
of this subsection (4) within three (3) years after the effective 183
date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to 184
permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. 185
(5) The distinctive license tags authorized under Section 186
27-19-56.108 must meet the requirements of this subsection before 187
the department may prepare or issue any such license tag or plate. 188
The organization or other entity for which the Legislature 189
authorized the distinctive license tag or plate must submit proof 190
satisfactory to the department that at least two hundred (200) of 191
such license tags or plates will be purchased and must deposit 192
with the department an amount necessary to purchase two hundred 193
(200) of such license tags or plates. 194
(6) Any distinctive license tag authorized under Section 195
27-19-56.549(1)(l), (n), (z) or (ai) must meet the requirements of 196
this subsection before the department may prepare or issue any 197
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such license tag or plate. The organization or other entity for 198
which the Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or 199
plate must submit proof satisfactory to the department that at 200
least one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates will be 201
purchased and must deposit with the department an amount necessary 202
to purchase one hundred (100) of such license tags or plates. The 203
organization or other entity for which the Legislature authorized 204
the distinctive license tag or plate must satisfy the requirements 205
of this subsection (4) within three (3) years after the effective 206
date of the law authorizing the license tag or plate in order to 207
permit the license tag or plate to be prepared and issued. Until 208
a total of three hundred (300) such tags are sold, the department 209
shall deposit the proceeds of the additional fee into the License 210
Tag Acquisition Fund created in Section 27-19-179. After three 211
hundred (300) tags are sold, the proceeds of the additional fee 212
shall be distributed as provided in the section authorizing the 213
issuance of the applicable special tag. The department may 214
promulgate rules and regulations to administer this subsection. 215
(7) If the organization or other entity for which the 216
Legislature authorized the distinctive license tag or plate meets 217
the requirements of subsection (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of 218
this section, the department shall prepare and issue the 219
distinctive license tag or plate. 220
(8) The department shall review the number of distinctive or 221
special license tags or plates issued pursuant to this chapter 222
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during the period for the license tag or plate series. If the 223
number of any distinctive or special license tag or plate issued 224
pursuant to this chapter falls below one hundred (100) in the last 225
year of the license tag or plate series, the distinctive or 226
special license tag or plate shall be discontinued at the end of 227
the period for the license tag or plate series. 228
(9) If a distinctive or special license tag or plate is 229
discontinued under subsection (7) of this section, the 230
organization or other entity for which the license tag or plate 231
was discontinued may prepare a distinctive or special license tag 232
or plate decal. The distinctive or special license tag or plate 233
decal shall be of such size, color and design as may be agreed 234
upon by the organization or other entity and the department. 235
However, the department shall have final approval of the size, 236
color and design of the decal. The distinctive or special license 237
tag or plate decals shall be prepared and sold by the organization 238
or other entity, and the proceeds derived from the sale of such 239
decals shall be retained by the organization or other entity for 240
any use deemed appropriate by the organization or other entity. 241
(10) The provisions of this section shall not apply to 242
distinctive or special license tags or plates: 243
(a) Which are issued under Section 27-19-45, 27-19-46, 244
27-19-47.1, 27-19-47.2, 27-19-48, 27-19-49, 27-19-53, 27-19-55, 245
27-19-56, 27-19-56.1, 27-19-56.2, 27-19-56.3, 27-19-56.5, 246
27-19-56.6, 27-19-56.9, 27-19-56.11, 27-19-56.12, 27-19-56.13, 247
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ST: Distinctive motor vehicle license tag;
reauthorize for Wildlife Mississippi.
27-19-56.40, 27-19-56.62, 27-19-56.69, 27-19-56.79, 27-19-56.90, 248
27-19-56.125, 27-19-56.127, 27-19-56.137, 27-19-56.140, 249
27-19-56.162, 27-19-56.187, 27-19-56.199, 27-19-56.205, 250
27-19-56.239, 27-19-56.292, 27-19-56.318, 27-19-56.379, 251
27-19-56.425, 27-19-56.466, 27-19-56.489, 27-19-56.522(1)(a), 252
27-19-56.524 or 27-19-56.557; or 253
(b) For which no additional fee is required to be paid. 254
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 255
and after July 1, 2026. 256