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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
special plate; distracted driving
Purpose
Establishes a distracted driving special plate and the Distracted Driving 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 distracted driving special plate if, by December 31, 2026, a person pays the $32,000 implementation fee.
2. Requires the person that pays the $32,000 implementation fee to design the distracted driving special plate.
3. Subjects the design and color of the distracted driving special plate to the approval of ADOT.
4. Allows the Director of ADOT (Director) to combine a request for a distracted driving 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 distracted driving special plate and the personalized special plate.
6. Specifies that, of the $25 fee required to obtain or renew a distracted driving special plate, $8 is an administration 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 distracted driving special plate donations 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) has a mission or raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving;
b) has a goal of educating, empowering and protecting drivers, passengers and pedestrians by promoting focused and responsible driving habits; and
c) conducts community outreach and public campaigns and provides programs to reduce traffic accidents caused by cell phones, fatigue and other distractions while driving.
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
February 12, 2026
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