Radio station licensees; special registration plates; fee.

A. Any applicant who is a resident of this state who holds an official commercial or amateur radio station license in good standing issued by the federal communications commission or who is a bona fide employee of such license holder shall, upon compliance with all laws of this state relating to registration and the licensing of motor vehicles and drivers, be furnished with a registration plate for the motor vehicle as prescribed by law, upon which: (1) in lieu of the numbers required for identification, shall be inscribed the official call letters of the applicant as assigned by the federal communications commission; (2) the official call letters shall be inscribed as internationally recognized call letters, including the number zero with a diagonal line drawn across the number from the upper right of the number down to the lower left of the number; and (3) the words "amateur radio operator" shall be inscribed on the registration plate upon request of the applicant. B. The licensee of the commercial or amateur radio station shall certify to the secretary the names of bona fide personnel eligible to receive such special registration plates. The applicant shall pay, in addition to the registration tax required by law, the sum of three dollars ($3.00) for the special registration plate, which additional sum shall be deposited by the secretary with the state treasurer to be credited to the state road fund. At the time of delivery of the special registration plate, the applicant shall surrender the current registration plate issued for the motor vehicle. This provision for the issuance of a special registration plate shall apply only if the applicant's motor vehicle is already registered in New Mexico so that the applicant has a valid regular New Mexico registration plate issued for that motor vehicle under which to operate during the time it will take to have the necessary special registration plate made. The secretary may make such reasonable regulations governing the use of the special registration plate as will assure the full compliance by the owner and holder of the special plate with all existing laws governing the registration, transfer and use of motor vehicles. When the ownership of the motor vehicle for which the special registration plate has been furnished by the secretary changes from one person to another, the special registration plate authorized in this section shall be promptly removed from the motor vehicle by the seller and returned to the secretary, at which time the seller or the buyer of the motor vehicle is entitled to receive a registration plate for the motor vehicle. A seller who fails to remove and return the special registration plate as required in this subsection is guilty of a penalty assessment misdemeanor. The purpose for the issuance of the special registration plate is to readily identify personnel in aid of the performance of necessary duties for civil defense in the communications field.