Bill > AB2541

This bill requires the California Arts Council, a state agency that promotes and supports the arts, to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles to create a new "The Lowrider" specialized license plate celebrating California's rich lowrider culture and heritage, which originated in Los Angeles in the 1940s and became deeply tied to Chicano identity and community activism. To ensure authentic representation, the legislation directs the council to consult with a community-based nonprofit organization regarding the plate's design, public outreach, and educational initiatives, while also allowing the use of donated artwork and private funding to help launch the program. Once the plates are available, drivers who wish to purchase them will pay an additional fee beyond standard vehicle registration costs. After the Department of Motor Vehicles covers its administrative expenses, the remaining funds will be deposited into the state's Specialized License Plate Fund and later distributed by the Arts Council—with a small percentage set aside for administrative agreements with qualified nonprofits—to support lowrider arts, cultural preservation, youth engagement programs, public exhibitions, and educational projects throughout California.