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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
special plate; police foundation
Purpose
Establishes a police foundation special plate and the Police Foundation Special Plate Fund (Fund).
Background
The Arizona
Department of Transportation (ADOT) Motor Vehicle Division provides one license
plate to every motor vehicle owner for each vehicle registered (A.R.S.
§ 28-2351). ADOT must issue or renew special plates in lieu of regular
license plates under specified conditions and procedures (A.R.S.
§ 28-2403). The fee for obtaining or renewing a special plate is $25 (A.R.S.
§ 28-2402). Of the $25 fee, $8 is an administration fee that ADOT deposits
in the State Highway Fund (SHF) and $17 is a donation.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires ADOT to issue a police foundation special plate if by December 31, 2026, a person pays the $32,000.
2. Requires the person that pays the $32,000 implementation fee to design the police foundation special plate.
3. Subjects the design and color of the police foundation special plate to the approval of ADOT.
4. Allows the Director of ADOT (Director) to combine a request for a police foundation special plate with a request for a personalized special plate.
5. Specifies that a combined request must be submitted in a form prescribed by the Director and is subject to the fees for both the police foundation special plate and the personalized special plate.
6. Specifies that, of the $25 fee required to obtain or renew a police foundation special plate, $8 is an administrative fee and $17 is an annual donation.
7. Establishes the Fund, administered by the Director.
8. Requires ADOT to deposit all special plate administration fees in the SHF and transmit the police foundation special plate donation to the Fund.
9. Requires the first $32,000 in the Fund to be reimbursed to the entity that paid the implementation fee.
10. Caps, at 10 percent, the annual amount of Fund monies that may be used to administer the Fund.
11. Specifies that the Fund monies are continuously appropriated.
12. Requires the Director to annually allocate Fund monies to an entity that is a 501(c)(3) organization that:
a) provides funding to a police department of a city with a population of more than one million persons that supports unmet capital needs of the police department and financial assistance in crisis situations for officers and officers' families; and
b) promotes community engagement programs that strengthen trust between law enforcement and the public.
13. Requires the State Treasurer, on notice from the Director, to invest and divest Fund monies and credit monies earned to the Fund.
14. Makes technical and conforming changes.
15. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 29, 2026
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