From the CA DMV website:
Q15: Will the DMV wait until January 1, 2015 to implement the program even if the minimum is reached before that date?
A: No. Once the required minimum is reached, implementation of the program will go into development.
Q16: How long after the program is implemented will I receive the plates I have pre-ordered?
A: Approximately 9-12 months.
So even after they receive 7,500 deposits, it will still take another 9-12 months to get the program implemented and into production. The prisoners must have unionized.
Someone wake me when they receive 7,500 pre-orders. Then I will add 9 months to that date before I complete an application.