The competition for the design of a specialty “Florida Stands with Israel” license plate has officially launched and the general public is invited to submit their designs through November 14th.
Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation (HB 1135), authorizing the creation of the specialty auto tag. The bill enjoyed bipartisan sponsorship and passed through both the Florida House and Senate unanimously.
The contest is being sponsored by the Israeli-American Council (IAC) and technically coordinated by co-sponsor organization, Artists 4 Israel. The panel of judges will consist of the lead legislative sponsors of the bill – Sen. Aaron Bean, Sen. Lauren Book, Rep. JW Grant, House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee, Rep. Scott Plakon, and Florida CFO/Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis – joined by Bal Harbour Mayor and community leader Gabe Groisman.
After the final design is submitted and approved by the Florida Department of Transportation the IAC will roll out a community marketing campaign, along with the co-sponsorship of IAC for Action and our local community partners, to drive the necessary 3000 plate pre-sales needed to authorize production.
A portion of the revenue generated by sales of the new specialty license plate will benefit Hatzalah of Miami-Dade, inc., a non-profit that deploys community based paramedics to slash response times and increase survival rates.
Israeli-American Council Board Member and IAC for Action Board Chairman Shawn Evenhaim stated:
“The kind of warmth demonstrated by this specialty plate is why Florida has always been a leading destination for Israeli-Americans. This gesture celebrates a long and close relationship. Florida and Israel share many ties, including bilateral trade, common values, and leadership in cutting edge fields that have a quality of life impact for all citizens. Florida has been a leader over the years in the fight against anti-Jewish hatred and discrimination, for example, its groundbreaking anti-BDS law and codification this past year of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. We applaud and sincerely appreciate this meaningful expression of solidarity and are pleased that the Israeli-American community can play a part in support of these efforts. Thank you Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature.”
For more information on the contest and to submit a design please visit: www.floridastandswithisrael.com.
