​Total revenue for March, 2021 jumped 38% to $3,399,803.00 compared to $2,459,767.00 for March, 2020 and is the highest grossing March in over 5 years. Endless Summer brought in $228,275.00 (compared to $146,250.00 in March, 2020) and has grossed $614,575.00 in the first quarter of 2021. University of Florida brought in $184,175.00 (compared to $148,175.00 in March, 2020) and has grossed $536,050.00 in the first quarter. Helping Sea Turtles Survive brought in $189,221.00 (compared to $132,503.00) and has grossed $503,050.00 in the first quarter and Florida State University brought in $145,350.00 (compared to $113,525.00) and has grossed $420,400.00 in the first quarter. The newly redesigned Support Law Enforcement black plate design saw an increase from $21,320.00 to $33,820.00, including an increase in new plate sales from 118 to 489. Similarly, the new Miami Marlins black design brought in $15,750.00 compared to $7,850.00.
Total sales of specialty plates for March 2021 was 144,756, compared to 106,112 in March, 2020.
Total sales of new issued plates jumped 93% to 24,471 in March, 2021 compared to 12,702 in March, 2020.
Top selling new issued plates for March, 2021 were Endless Summer (2,249), Miami Heat (1,906) and Tampa Bay Bucs (1,625).
The month of March, 2021 saw a total of 2,687 presale vouchers sold ($88,671.00).
Official DMV Presale Data as of 04/25/21 indicates a total of 24,582 ($811.206.00) presale vouchers have been purchased. Walt Disney World (8,413), Blue Angels (3,586) and Coastal Conservation Association (3,157) have sold their 3,000 required minimum and are currently awaiting production.
Divine Nine have now passed 2,030, on the way to the required combined minimum of 3,000. Explore Off Road Florida is the only other presale plate that has surpassed 1,000 so far.
For a breakdown of monthly sales and totals for presale vouchers, click here.

Three new presale vouchers are now available for Orlando based organizations.  
Rated Four Stars by Charity Navigator, Give Kids The World Village is an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, that provides week-long, cost-free wish vacations to critically ill children and their families from around the world who want to visit Central Florida. A stay at the Village is much more than a vacation. During one transformative week, wish families laugh, play, and create priceless memories together away from hospital visits and medical procedures. It's a magical week of "YES" where wish kids can experience the simple joys of childhood, and where families can recapture some of the precious moments that may have been missed due to illness.
Orlando City SC  license plate will benefit the Orlando City Foundation. The Foundation runs free soccer programs, including providing equipment, in 10 schools and community centers. Florida has the fourth highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17 meaning that 3 out of 10 children are overweight or obese putting them at risk for developing lifelong chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and mental health issues. The obesity crisis costs our nation more than $150 billion annually in healthcare costs and millions more in lost productivity. 
Obesity is a child development and academic achievement issue. Obesity prevention is an investment in our children’s ability to learn and grow. Childhood obesity is correlated with poor educational performance and increased risk for bullying and depression. If all kids have the opportunity to grow up at a healthy weight — a lifestyle that includes nutritious food and plenty of time for active play — they are more likely to reach their full potential.  
Obesity is an equity issue. Obesity disproportionately affects low-income and rural communities as well as certain racial and ethnic groups, including Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans. Societal inequities contribute to these disparities. For example, in many communities, children have few safe outdoor spaces to play or accessible routes to walk or bike to school. Their neighborhoods may often be food deserts, having small food outlets and fast-food restaurants that sell and advertise unhealthy food and beverages, but lacking those with fresh and healthy foods at affordable prices. Thus, addressing the obesity epidemic is also a fight for health equity.
The Walt Disney World license plate will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida, Inc.  for activities and programs for critically ill children.
As of 4/25/2021, the minimum 3,000 has been reached for the Walt Disney World plate (8,413). It will be about 4-6 months before the plate is available. The Orlando SC has sold 304 presale vouchers and the Give Kids the World has sold 29.

Rated Four Stars by Charity Navigator, Give Kids The World Village is an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, that provides week-long, cost-free wish vacations to critically ill children and their families from around the world who want to visit Central Florida.
A stay at the Village is much more than a vacation. During one transformative week, wish families laugh, play, and create priceless memories together away from hospital visits and medical procedures. It's a magical week of "YES" where wish kids can experience the simple joys of childhood, and where families can recapture some of the precious moments that may have been missed due to illness.
Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has welcomed more than 176,000 families from all 50 states and 76 countries. The Village is made possible by the support of generous donors and community partners, as well as thousands of passionate volunteers – who donate their time and talent making wishes come true

​The design for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Florida license plate, featuring the art of Derek DeYoung has been released. Pre-sale vouchers for the plates are being accepted now and the plate will be produced after the requisite 3,000 vouchers are sold. $25 from each plate will directly benefit the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.
The design was produced by artist Derek DeYoung Derek who said of the project: “I was sincerely honored to be asked to contribute art for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Florida license plate. One of my greatest joys is to use my art to raise awareness and funds for my favorite fishing grounds and fish that are in serious need of help!"
​Derek DeYoung was born on a bayou near the shores of Lake Michigan where his love of fishing was ignited. Over the years his art has veered from the classical fishing art, placing more importance on using a unique style and palette. Using oil paints on canvas, he artfully captures all the subtle intricacies fish possess; their patterns, dimension and texture. In his artwork DeYoung is constantly pushing the limits by painting fish in beautiful and original ways.
​The mission of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) is to conserve and restore bonefish, tarpon and permit fisheries and habitats through research, stewardship, education and advocacy. Through science-based approaches, BTT is working to protect and enhance healthy, functioning flats fisheries and habitats in the Western Hemisphere, and restore those in decline. This work is being done in collaboration with other institutions and governments.
In the Florida Keys and South Florida, BTT is working to determine and address the causes of declining fish populations. BTT has defined a series of research steps that will lead to actionable knowledge to improve the Keys flats fishery and advocates for those actions that will protect and restore the fishery and habitats.
BTT is working to improve regulations as necessary to ensure a healthy tarpon fishery throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Southeast United States and Caribbean.
BTT is working to protect and restore habitats throughout the range of bonefish, tarpon and permit to ensure healthy populations of these and associated species.
BTT is executing its mission by partnering with universities and institutions having the expertise to conduct research projects designed by BTT scientists.

As soon as Walt Disney World released their proposed design for their specialty license plate, over 2,000 people signed up to buy it and so far in April, 4,151 have signed up. As of 4/11/2021, 7,719 presale vouchers have been sold, which would already make it the 62nd most popular specialty plate, if all those vouchers were converted to plates, already surpassing Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Discover Florida's Horses. Walt Disney world has now taken the next step to create a very special Florida license plate that could be on vehicles on Florida roads before the end of this year.
The design of the newly proposed Walt Disney World Specialty License Plate features the “EARidescent” 50th anniversary castle logo on a majestic royal blue background. Inspired by the color scheme of Cinderella Castle, this magical plate is currently available for presale and will also help make even more dreams true, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida and their work granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Disney has a longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, dating back to 1980, and since then, more than 140,000 Disney-inspired wishes have been granted, including thousands taking place at Walt Disney World Resort. This license plate is a unique opportunity to commemorate 50 years of Central Florida magic.
The design will now be submitted for manufacturing and could be available within 6 months. Presale vouchers are still available for purchase and people are continuing to show that this design will challenge for a top spot in Florida and provide incredible funding for a very worthwhile cause.

Under current law, PRIDE, Inc., manufactures all license plates and validation stickers for FLDHSMV and FLDHSMV is not required by statute to obtain competitive bids in order to contract with that corporation. 
The ‘Digital License Plate Pilot Program’ bill, CS/SB 862, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), a CPA, was brought up before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, chaired by Senator George B Gainer (R-Panama City) an automobile dealer, on April 8, 2021 and the bill language was amended to conform to the current House version of the bill (CS/HB 695), however, it was met with a very hostile reception and the bill narrowly passed by a 7-4 vote, with some Senators stating that although they were supporting it in that Committee, they would "need substantial convincing to further support it" in the next and final Committee stop, Appropriations.

SB 676, sponsored by Senator Dennis Baxley, (R-Lady Lake) creating a number of new specialty plates was passed quickly and unanimously (11-0), including an amendment to add two new specialty plates – ‘Florida Swims’ and ‘30A.com/Scenic Walton’ to the other 11 proposed new plates. 
​Following on from that well-received bill presentation, Senator Gruters provided a quick summary of the strike all amendment of CS/SB 862 and a brief description of the ‘pilot program’, stating that the Department would try 5-10 digital plates on state owned vehicles for one year before the plates would be made available to Florida vehicle owners. He explained that the digital plates could only be purchased after a customer had purchased a regular metal plate from the DMV. Then came the onslaught of questions from the Committee members.

Senator Audrey Gibson (D-Jacksonville), a paralegal and PR liaison in her twentieth year as a Florida legislator, was the first to question Gruters on the issue of whether the bill was limited to a sole vendor – namely Reviver, (or Reviver Auto or ReviverMX). Senator Gruters responded by stating that there were “multiple vendors out there” and when Senator Gibson asked him where Reviver were based out of, he responded “I’m not sure where that particular vendor is from,” which seems to contradict his recent statement in Reviver’s press release of February 9, 2021, wherein he is personally cited as quoting:
'"We look forward to working with Reviver and the ecosystem of vehicle compliance their platform and digital license plates will provide our DMV and our citizens. The expressive nature of their digital plates provides untapped opportunities for valuable communications." said Senator Joe Gruters, (R – Sarasota).'
The House bill sponsor, Representative Nick Duran (D–Miami), Executive Director of Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, is also quoted in that same press release: "Bringing digital license plates to Florida helps to pave the way into a more connected future. Florida has always been on the cutting-edge of technology and allowing the use of this technology can bring large-scale efficiency and savings to the over 17 million registered vehicles in our state."

Senator Gruters stated that the Reviver plate is the “same technology as an iPad." He also stated that “a single vendor will do the pilot program” and then it “will open up to all vendors as long as they meet the requirements.” And that “there are at least three vendors, so they will be ready when the pilot program ends.”
Senator Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), an optician/healthcare executive in her tenth year as a Florida legislator, questioned the single vendor sense of the bill and Senator Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne), a retired banking executive in her thirteenth year as a Florida legislator and the Senate Majority Leader, stated that there is only one vendor and they "only have plates on sale in two states, California and Arizona, and have only sold a total of 4,000 plates" and questioned that at a time when the legislature is focusing on numerous bills that seek to protect privacy, “how are you protecting privacy from a private company?” and that it clearly sounds like a “big vendor bill.”
The FCC Notice Compliance on the Reviver website states: “This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.  Operation is subject to the following two conditions:  1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.”
Senator Gruters again reiterated that there are “multiple vendors” and that he had “personally talked to multiple vendors about this,” but did not disclose the names of those multiple vendors.

​Senator Annetee Taddeo (D-Miami), founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak, expressed her concern that although it was labelled as a pilot program, in year two, the bill provides that it automatically expands to the general public, no matter what the result of the one-year ‘pilot program’ was. So, it was not technically a pilot program.
Senator Ed Hooper, (R-Palm Harbor), a retired firefighter and a partner with Consus Group, LLC and Vice Chair of the Committee, had clearly done some homework prior to the hearing and stated that “Reviver is the sole manufacturer” and he said that the “RPlate is $500 plus $18 a month and the RPlatePro was $600 with $25 a month and a 3 year agreement.” He also stated that if the vehicle stops for 4 seconds, it displays advertisements which would distract everyone. He stated that “there is an odor to this” and said it “smells like a 3-day dead raccoon.” and that it is nothing more than “a sweetheart deal for someone and the PRIDE dollars does not impress me.”
​Apparently, a dead raccoon is a bad omen since it foretells that you are about to receive some bad news – it could be regarding a family member in trouble or a break-up. It could also mean that you are going to discover some harsh truths regarding how you have hurt others, or about some illness. (courtesy: TheAstrologyWeb.com)

Senator Mayfield concurred and said that if “it doesn’t smell right, it usually means we are not feeling right and that she would vote for it today, but would not vote for it in Appropriations, unless the sponsor explains it better, “It smells like a vendor bill to me.” Senator Cruz concurred that she would also have trouble voting for it in Appropriations.
Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), whose occupation is insurance and investments and in his eleventh year as a Florida legislator, stepped up to Senator Gruters aid and stated that he "would not vote for exclusively voting for one vendor but if the DMV approves it, it will open up to other vendors" and so it did not appear to him to be a one vendor bill and therefore would support it.
Senator Loranne Ausley (D-Quincy) an attorney with Holliman, PA, who was first elected to the House in 2000, also showed concern regarding the label ‘pilot program’ and said “normally for a pilot program, there is information that comes back before it is opened up to the public – but this is automatic.” She also questioned that if it is a great deal for PRIDE, then it should be a great deal for the inmates who make the plates who want to change their lives. She also stated that the digital billboard offended her and stated “I call it visual pollution’ and said she has a “lot of questions and concerns before Appropriations and I need answers.” “I will support it today but may have more questions in the future.” 
Senator Taddeo stated that she “votes for all tech, but I have a problem with one vendor and that it automatically expands to consumers.” She was concerned with the privacy issues and “a lot more needs to be massaged and it is not ready and I will vote against it today.”

​Incidentally, the much discussed $4.00 payment to PRIDE was in a previous iteration of the bill and was deleted and is not contained in either the Senate amendment or the House version, a fact that even the bill sponsor was apparently not aware of, given the extended discussions on that subject, which arose after he raised the issue in support of garnering approval for the bill. That happens sometimes when lobbyists provide the amendment for their Principals and staffers file them and don’t advise their members fully or update the member’s one sheet for the bill presentation. It may have shortened the bill discussion by a full ten minutes.

Senator Gruters summed up by stating that he had “personally talked to other vendors” and had received calls from other companies. He stated that he believes that manufacturers will ultimately incorporate the digital plate into the vehicle, that “the tech is to broaden our spectrum and it is time to move with the times and understand the tech is here.” He ended with stating that he was “so glad we had so many questions on this bill.”

As of today, the only lobbyist firm that had registered regarding SB 862 was Ted Smith for the Florida Automobile Dealers Association. On the House side, for HB 695, Jorge Chamizo and Cory Guzzo of Floridian Partners had registered on behalf of Reviver Auto. Cory Guzzo does have SB 862 in parentheses.
Reviver Auto are registered as a principal on the lobbyist registration website, with an address of 4000 E 3Rd Ave, Suite 150, Foster City, CA 94404-4829. Industry Code: 423120 Automobile accessories (except tires, tubes) merchant wholesalers, which was filed on 1/4/2021. 
SB 862 was filed by Senator Gruters on 1/27/21.
HB 695 was filed by Rep Nicholas Duran (R-Miami), on 2/2/21 and is cosponsored by Rep Alison Tant (D-Tallahassee) an Independent Education Management Professional in her first term as a legislator. 

On 4/8/21, The house bill was added to the Special Order Calendar for 4/15/21. There is no requirement for a $4.00 payment to PRIDE in the house bill and on 4/9/21 a Floor amendment has been timely filed to add “By July 1, 2022, the department shall allow a motor vehicle registered under this chapter to be equipped with a digital license plate in lieu of a physical license plate issued under s. 320.06 upon a determination that the information on the digital license plate display is readable by current automated license plate recognition hardware and software. However, the purchaser of a digital license plate must first obtain a physical license plate from the department before obtaining a digital license plate from a digital license plate provider.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee is the next scheduled stop for the Senate bill and is chaired by Senator Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), an investment property manager in her thirteenth year as a Florida legislator and the vice-chair is Senator Aaron Bean (R-Jacksonville), a Relationship Development Officer for UF Health Jacksonville and a licensed auctioneer, who was first elected to the House in 2000. Senators Gainer, Gibson, Hooper, Mayfield and Perry are also Appropriations Committee members. There  are 12 Republicans and 8 Democrats on the Committee.
Whether the Senate bill will be carried by partisan politics in deference to Senator Gruters will remain to be seen. 

Under current law, PRIDE, Inc., manufactures all license plates and validation stickers for FLDHSMV and FLDHSMV is not required by statute to obtain competitive bids in order to contract only with PRIDE. 
The ‘Digital License Plate Pilot Program’ bill, CS/SB 862, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), a CPA, was brought up before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, chaired by Senator George B Gainer (R-Panama City) an automobile dealer, on 4/8/21 and the bill language was amended to conform to the current House version of the bill (CS/HB 695), however, it was met with a very hostile reception and the bill narrowly passed by a 7-4 vote, with some Senators stating that although they were supporting it in this Committee, they would need "substantial convincing to further support it" in the next and final Senate Committee stop: Appropriations.

After SB 676, sponsored by Senator Dennis Baxley, (R-Lady Lake) creating a number of new specialty plates was passed quickly and unanimously (11-0), including an amendment to add two new specialty plates – ‘Florida Swims’ and ‘30A.com/Scenic Walton’ to the other 11 proposed new plates.
Following on from that well-received bill presentation, Senator Gruters provided a quick summary of the strike all amendment of CS/SB 695 and a brief description of the ‘pilot program’, stating that the Department "would try 5-10 digital plates on state owned vehicles for one year before the plates would be made available to Florida vehicle owners." He explained that the digital plates could only be purchased after a customer had purchased a regular metal plate from the DMV. Then came the onslaught of questions from the Senate Committee members.

Senator Audrey Gibson (D-Jacksonville), a paralegal and PR liaison in her twentieth year as a Florida legislator, was the first to question Gruters on the issue of whether the bill was limited to one vendor – namely Reviver, (or Reviver Auto or ReviverMX). Senator Gruters responded by stating that there were “multiple vendors out there” and when Senator Gibson asked him where Reviver was based out of, he responded “I’m not sure where that particular vendor is from,” which seems to contradict his recent statement in Reviver’s press release of February 9, 2021, wherein it states:
'"We look forward to working with Reviver and the ecosystem of vehicle compliance their platform and digital license plates will provide our DMV and our citizens. The expressive nature of their digital plates provides untapped opportunities for valuable communications." said Senator Joe Gruters, (R – Sarasota).'
The House bill sponsor, Representative Nick Duran (D–Miami) is also quoted in that same press release: "Bringing digital license plates to Florida helps to pave the way into a more connected future. Florida has always been on the cutting-edge of technology and allowing the use of this technology can bring large-scale efficiency and savings to the over 17 million registered vehicles in our state."