Purpose

• Create 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline special license plates to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention and safe firearm storage.
  
• Direct a portion of plate-related funds to a statewide program that promotes lethal means safety, including tools and gun storage initiatives.

Main Provisions

• Issuance and eligibility:
  • The commissioner must issue 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline plates (or a single motorcycle plate) to owners of eligible vehicles (passenger automobiles, noncommercial one-ton pickups, trucks, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles) who pay required fees and a 25 contribution to the lethal means safety account, plus any other fees and the registration tax.
• Plate design:
  • The plate design must include the 988 Lifeline logo, developed in consultation with the commissioner of health and suicide awareness organizations.
• Transferability:
  • Special plates may be transferred to another eligible vehicle if the new vehicle is qualified to bear the plates and remains registered to the same individual, upon payment of a transfer fee.
• Exemption:
  • Plates issued under this section are exempt from a specified existing requirement (168.1293 subdivision 2).
• Funding and use of contributions:
  • A $25 contribution per plate set must be deposited into the lethal means safety account, established in the special revenue fund.
  • Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner, first to cover administration costs, with the remainder used to purchase lethal means safety tools and to fund a statewide gun storage mapping initiative.
• Tools and distribution:
  • Lethal means safety tools may include cable gun locks, trigger locks, and gun safes.
  • These tools may be distributed to Minnesota-registered nonprofit organizations, including those focusing on suicide awareness, after applying to the commissioner.
  • Organizations must distribute the tools to the general public, and no organization may charge a member of the public for the tools.

Changes to Existing Law

• Establishes a new license plate program under section 168.1257 that ties plate issuance and renewal to a required charitable contribution and funding mechanism.
• Creates a dedicated funding stream (lethal means safety account in the special revenue fund) and specifies how funds are to be spent (administration, safety tools, and gun storage mapping).
• Adds design requirements and transfer provisions specific to this plate, and provides an exemption from an existing statutory provision for these plates.

Implementation & Administrative Notes

• The commissioner is responsible for issuing plates, approving designs, and handling transfers.
• Annual appropriation process is required to support program administration and the stated initiatives.

Significance / Impact

• Raises public awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline through the plate design and messaging.
• Provides funding to reduce firearm-related harm by distributing safety tools and supporting gun storage initiatives.
• Encourages nonprofit involvement and public distribution of safety tools without charging fees to recipients.

Relevant Terms - 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - special license plates (988 Lifeline plates) - lethal means safety account - special revenue fund - 988 Lifeline logo - suicide awareness organizations - firearm safety tools (cable gun locks, trigger locks, gun safes) - gun storage mapping initiative - nonprofit organizations - transfer fee - registration tax (section 168.013) - vehicle eligibility (passenger automobile, noncommercial one-ton pickup, truck, motorcycle, recreational vehicle) - exemption (168.1293 subdivision 2) - Minnesota Statutes chapter 168 (new section 168.1257)