1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any person may apply for special motor vehicle license plates for any motor vehicle such person owns, either solely or jointly, other than an apportioned motor vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle licensed in excess of twenty-four thousand pounds gross weight, after an annual contribution of twenty-five dollars to the Cass County collector of revenue. Any contribution derived from this section, except reasonable administrative costs, shall be distributed within the county as follows:

(1) Seventy percent to public safety;

(2) Fifteen percent to the Cass County Historical Society; and

(3) Fifteen percent to the Cass County parks and recreation department.

2. Upon annual application and payment of twenty-five dollars to the Cass County collector of revenue, the county shall issue to the vehicle owner, without further charge, an emblem-use authorization statement, which shall be presented by the owner to the director of revenue at the time of registration of a motor vehicle. Upon presentation of the annual statement, payment of a fifteen dollar fee in addition to the registration fee and documents which may be required by law, the department of revenue shall issue to the vehicle owner a specialty personalized license plate which shall bear the words “CASS COUNTY — THE BURNT DISTRICT” at the bottom of the plate in a manner prescribed by the director of revenue. Such license plates shall be yellow beginning at the top with the color fading into orange at the bottom and shall have a black decorative scroll on the left and right side of the plate configuration. The scrolls shall not be more than one inch in width or three and one-half inches in height. Such license plates shall be made with fully reflective material with a common color scheme and design, shall be clearly visible at night, and shall be aesthetically attractive, as prescribed by section 301.130. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 301.144, no additional fee shall be charged for personalization of license plates under this section.

3. A vehicle owner who was previously issued a plate with the emblem authorized by this section, but who does not provide an emblem-use authorization statement at a subsequent time of registration, shall be issued a new plate which does not bear the Cass County Burnt District emblem, as otherwise provided by law. The director of revenue shall make necessary rules and regulations for the enforcement of this section, and shall design all necessary forms required by this section.

4. Prior to the issuance of a specialty personalized plate authorized under this section, the department of revenue must be in receipt of an application, as prescribed by the director, which shall be accompanied by a list of at least two hundred potential applicants who plan to purchase the specialty personalized plate, the proposed art design for the specialty license plate, and an application fee, not to exceed five thousand dollars, to defray the department’s cost for issuing, developing, and programming the implementation of the specialty plate. Once the plate design is approved, the director of revenue shall not authorize the manufacture of the material to produce such specialized license plates with the individual seal, logo, or emblem until such time as the director has received two hundred applications, the fifteen dollar specialty plate fee per application, and emblem-use statements, if applicable, and other required documents or fees for such plates.

5. The specialty personalized plate shall not be redesigned unless the organization pays the director in advance for all redesigned plate fees for the plate established in this section. If a member chooses to replace the specialty personalized plate for the new design the member must pay the replacement fees prescribed in section 301.300 for the replacement of the existing specialty personalized plate. All other applicable license plate fees in accordance with this chapter shall be required.