(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that an environmental tag be issued by the state to be used as an instrument to promote safe environmental practices, environmental awareness, environmental education enhancement, and for the protection of Alabama's precious environment through education. It is the desire of the Legislature to develop and provide comprehensive environmental education programs in which students, teachers, citizens, businesses, and governmental entities can participate in order to promote good environmental practices and thereby protect the environmental diversity and natural resources of the state.
(b) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:
(1) BOARD. The Board of Directors of Legacy, as it may be constituted from time to time.
(2) ENVIRONMENTAL TAG. The environmental tag shall mean, but is not limited to, the Protect Our Environment distinctive license tag.
(3) LEGACY. Legacy, Inc., Partners in Environmental Education, a nonprofit organization.
(4) TRUST FUND. A trust fund established by the board which, when established, shall be perpetual, and any principal deposits into the trust fund shall not be subject to expenditure by the board or by the Legislature or by any other entity whatsoever.
(c) To receive an environmental license tag, an applicant shall do all of the following:
(1) Apply to the appropriate judge of probate, commissioner of licenses, or other license issuing official.
(2) Comply with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles.
(3) Pay the regular annual fee for the license tag as provided by law for private passenger or pleasure motor vehicles.
(4) Pay an additional annual fee of fifty dollars ($50) for the environmental license tag.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 32-6-54, the board shall apply to the Department of Revenue for approval of the proposed environmental tag design from the Legislative Oversight Committee on License Plates.
(e) The board may establish a trust fund from private or public funds, or both. Once the trust fund has been established, any monies deposited into the trust fund shall remain in the trust in perpetuity. The earnings, or part of the earnings, derived from the trust fund, however, may go into the operating account or accounts of Legacy for environmental education. The board shall determine the percentage of the earnings from the monies in the trust fund which may be subject to expenditures and which percentage, if any, that shall be redeposited into the trust fund to be held in perpetuity.
(f) If Legacy or its successor organization is dissolved permanently, the trust fund and the monies therein shall continue in perpetuity as a trust fund in the State Treasury, and the monies therein shall not be subject to disbursement or appropriation by any entity whatsoever. Ninety percent of the earnings of the trust fund may be appropriated by the Legislature to or on behalf of the public schools for environmental education. The remaining 10 percent of the annual earnings of the trust fund shall be held in the trust fund and shall not be subject to legislative appropriation or disbursement, if Legacy or its successor organization is dissolved permanently. The State Treasurer shall be the responsible authority for investing the monies of the trust fund only when Legacy or its successor organization is dissolved permanently.
(g) The Legislature finds that Legacy is the successor organization of the Alabama Environmental Education Initiative established by Section 32-6-156.1.
(h) The receipt and expenditure of funds by Legacy shall be subject to annual examination by a licensed public accountant.
(i) The unappropriated balance of funds in the Environmental Education Trust shall revert to Legacy on October 1, 2008.
Last modified: May 3, 2021