(625 ILCS 5/3-651)

Sec. 3-651. U.S. Marine Corps license plates.

(a) In addition to any other special license plate, the Secretary, upon receipt of all applicable fees and applications made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue special registration plates designated as U.S. Marine Corps license plates to residents of Illinois who meet eligibility requirements prescribed by the Secretary of State. The special plate issued under this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds, and recreational vehicles as defined by Section 1-169 of this Code. Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the staggered multi-year procedure established by Section 3-414.1 of this Code.

(b) The design, color, and format of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State, except that the U.S. Marine Corps emblem shall appear on the plates. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. The plates are not required to designate "Land Of Lincoln", as prescribed in subsection (b) of Section 3-412 of this Code. The Secretary shall prescribe the eligibility requirements and, in his or her discretion, shall approve and prescribe stickers or decals as provided under Section 3-412.

(c) An applicant shall be charged a $5 fee for original issuance in addition to the applicable registration fee. This additional fee shall be deposited into the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund. For each registration renewal period, an $18 fee, in addition to the appropriate registration fee, shall be charged. This additional fee shall be deposited into the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund.

(d) The Marine Corps Scholarship Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. All moneys in the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund shall, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and distribution by the Secretary, be used by the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Illinois, Inc., a recognized charitable organization that meets the requirements of Title 26, Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Code, to provide grants for scholarships for higher education. The scholarship recipients must be the children of current or former members of the United States Marine Corps who meet the academic, financial, and other requirements established by the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. In addition, the recipients must be Illinois residents and must attend a college or university located within the State of Illinois.

(e) In addition, the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Illinois is authorized to provide grants to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the Young Marine National Foundation, the Women Marines Association, and to any local chapter of the Marine Corps League that is located in Illinois. Any grant money paid from the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund shall be used for scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and career and technical education and certification, financial assistance, or monetary awards to veterans or veterans' families that are located within the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 101-89, eff. 7-19-19.)