TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 150 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE "EMANUEL 9" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    Section 56-3-16010.    (A)    The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Emanuel 9' special license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycles registered in their names. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period that expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.

    (B)    This special license plate must be the same size and general design as regular motor vehicle license plates and memorialize the members of the Emanuel African American Methodist Episcopal Church who tragically lost their lives on June 17, 2015.

    (C)    The requirements for production, collection, and distribution of fees for the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The biennial fee for each special license plate is thirty dollars plus the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. Any portion of the thirty-dollar fee in excess of the costs of production and distribution of the license plates must be distributed to the Emanuel African American Methodist Episcopal Church to be used for scholarships awarded to needy college students."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.