Bill Text: OH HB107 | 2011-2012 | 129th General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: To require that motor vehicles carry only one license plate, to be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 13-5)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-16 - To Transportation, Public Safety & Homeland Security [HB107 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2011-HB107-Comm_Sub.html

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As Reported by the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee

129th General Assembly Regular Session 2011-2012

H. B. No. 107

Representatives Damschroder, Slesnick 

Cosponsors: Representatives Hall, McGregor, Derickson, Sears, Adams, J., Stebelton, Okey, Blair, Schuring, Reece, Young, Boose, Huffman, Garland, Roegner, Mallory 

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A BILL

To amend sections 4503.181, 4503.19, 4503.21,

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4503.23, and 4549.10 and to enact section 4503.192

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of the Revised Code to require that motor vehicles

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carry only one license plate, to be displayed on

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the rear of the vehicle.

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 4503.181, 4503.19, 4503.21, 4503.23,	6
and 4549.10 be amended and section 4503.192 of the Revised Code be	7
enacted to read as follows:	8

Sec. 4503.181.  (A) As used in this section, "historical	9
motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is more than	10
twenty-five years old and that is owned solely as a collector's	11
item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours,	12
parades, and similar uses, but in no event is used for general	13
transportation.	14

(B) In lieu of the annual license tax levied in sections	15
4503.02 and 4503.04 of the Revised Code, a license fee of ten	16
dollars is levied on the operation of an historical motor vehicle.	17

(C) A person who owns an historical motor vehicle and applies	18
for a license platesplate under this section shall execute an	19
affidavit that the vehicle for which plates arethe plate is	20
requested is owned and operated solely for the purposes enumerated	21
in division (A) of this section, and also setting forth in the	22
affidavit that the vehicle has been inspected and found safe to	23
operate on the public roads and highways in the state. A person	24
who owns an historical motor vehicle and desires to display a	25
model year license platesplate on the vehicle as permitted by	26
this section shall execute at the time of registration an	27
affidavit setting forth that the model year license platesplate	28
the person desires to display on the person's historical motor	29
vehicle areis a legible and serviceable license platesplate that	30
originally werewas issued by this state. No registration issued	31
pursuant to this section need specify the weight of the vehicle.	32

(D) A vehicle registered under this section may display an	33
historical vehicle license platesplate issued by the registrar of	34
motor vehicles or a model year license platesplate procured by	35
the applicant. HistoricalThe historical vehicle license plates	36
plate shall not bear a date, but shall bear the inscription	37
"Historical Vehicle--Ohio" and the registration number, which	38
shall be shown thereon. ModelThe model year license platesplate	39
shall be a legible and serviceable license platesplate issued by	40
this state and inscribed with the date of the year corresponding	41
to the model year when the vehicle was manufactured.	42
Notwithstanding section 4503.21 of the Revised Code, only oneTwo	43
model year license plate is required toplates, duplicates of each	44
other, may be displayed on the rear of the historical motor	45
vehicle at all timesany time, one plate on the front and one	46
plate on the rear of the vehicle. The registration certificate and	47
the historical vehicle license platesplate issued by the	48
registrar shall be kept in the vehicle at all times the vehicle is	49
operated on the public roads and highways in this state.	50

Notwithstanding section 4503.21 of the Revised Code, the	51
owner of an historical motor vehicle that was manufactured for	52
military purposes and that is registered under this section may	53
display the assigned registration number of the vehicle by	54
painting the number on the front and rear of the vehicle. The	55
number shall be painted, in accordance with the size and style	56
specifications established for numerals and letters shown on	57
license plates in section 4503.22 of the Revised Code, in a color	58
that contrasts clearly with the color of the vehicle, and shall be	59
legible and visible at all times. Upon application for	60
registration under this section and payment of the license fee	61
prescribed in division (B) of this section, the owner of such an	62
historical motor vehicle shall be issued an historical vehicle	63
license platesplate. The registration certificate and at least	64
one suchthe license plate shall be kept in the vehicle at all	65
times the vehicle is operated on the public roads and highways in	66
this state. If ownership of such a vehicle is transferred, the	67
transferor shall surrender the historical vehicle license plates	68
plate or transfer themit to another historical motor vehicle the	69
transferor owns, and remove or obliterate the registration numbers	70
painted on the vehicle.	71

(E) Historical vehicle and model year license plates are	72
valid without renewal as long as the vehicle for which they were	73
issued or procured is in existence. HistoricalAn historical	74
vehicle plates areplate is issued for the owner's use only for	75
such vehicle unless later transferred to another historical motor	76
vehicle owned by that person. In order to effect such a transfer,	77
the owner of the historical motor vehicle that originally	78
displayed the historical vehicle platesplate shall comply with	79
division (C) of this section. In the event of a transfer of title,	80
the transferor shall surrender the historical vehicle license	81
platesplate or transfer themit to another historical motor	82
vehicle owned by the transferor, but a model year license plates	83
plate may be retained by the transferor. The registrar may revoke	84
license plates issued under this section, for cause shown and	85
after hearing, for failure of the applicant to comply with this	86
section. Upon revocation, an historical vehicle license plates	87
plate shall be surrendered; a model year license platesplate may	88
be retained, but no longer areis valid for display on the	89
vehicle.	90

(F) The owner of an historical motor vehicle bearing an	91
historical vehicle license platesplate may replace themit with a	92
model year license platesplate by surrendering the historical	93
vehicle license platesplate and motor vehicle certificate of	94
registration to the registrar. The owner, at the time of	95
registration, shall execute an affidavit setting forth that the	96
model year plates areplate is a legible and serviceable license	97
platesplate that originally werewas issued by this state. Such	98
an owner is required to pay the license fee prescribed by division	99
(B) of this section, but the owner is not required to have the	100
historical motor vehicle reinspected under division (C) of this	101
section.	102

A person who owns an historical motor vehicle bearing a model	103
year license platesplate may replace themit with an historical	104
vehicle license platesplate by surrendering the motor vehicle	105
certificate of registration and applying for issuance of an	106
historical vehicle license platesplate. Such a person is required	107
to pay the license fee prescribed by division (B) of this section,	108
but the person is not required to have the historical motor	109
vehicle reinspected under division (C) of this section.	110

Sec. 4503.19.  (A) Upon the filing of an application for	111
registration and the payment of the tax for registration, the	112
registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar shall determine	113
whether the owner previously has been issued a license plates	114
plate for the motor vehicle described in the application. If no	115
license platesplate previously havehas been issued to the owner	116
for that motor vehicle, the registrar or deputy registrar shall	117
assign to the motor vehicle a distinctive number and issue and	118
deliver to the owner in the manner that the registrar may select a	119
certificate of registration, in the form that the registrar shall	120
prescribe, and, except as otherwise provided in this section, two	121
a license plates, duplicates of each other,plate and a validation	122
sticker, or a validation sticker alone, to be attached to the	123
number plateslicense plate as provided in section 4503.191 of the	124
Revised Code. The registrar or deputy registrar also shall charge	125
the owner any fees required under division (C) of section 4503.10	126
of the Revised Code. Trailers, manufactured homes, mobile homes,	127
semitrailers, the manufacturer thereof, the dealer, or in transit	128
companies therein, shall be issued one license plate only and one	129
validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone, and theThe	130
license plate and validation sticker shall be displayed only on	131
the rear of such vehicles. Athe vehicle, except that a commercial	132
tractor that does not receive an apportioned license plate under	133
the international registration plan shall be issued twodisplay	134
the license platesplate and one validation sticker, and the	135
validation sticker shall be displayed on the front of the	136
commercial tractor. An apportioned vehicle receiving an	137
apportioned license plate under the international registration	138
plan shall be issued one license plate only and one validation	139
sticker, or a validation sticker alone; the license plate shall be	140
displayed only on the front of a semitractor and on the rear of	141
all other vehicles. School buses shall not be issued a license	142
platesplate but shall bear identifying numbers in the manner	143
prescribed by section 4511.764 of the Revised Code. The	144
certificate of registration and license platesplate and	145
validation stickerssticker, or validation stickerssticker alone,	146
shall be issued and delivered to the owner in person or by mail.	147
Chauffeured limousines shall be issued a license platesplate, a	148
validation sticker, and a livery sticker as provided in section	149
4503.24 of the Revised Code. In the event of the loss, mutilation,	150
or destruction of any certificate of registration, or of any	151
license platesplate or validation stickerssticker, or if the	152
owner chooses to replace the license platesplate previously	153
issued for a motor vehicle, or if the registration certificate and	154
license platesplate have been impounded as provided by division	155
(B)(1) of section 4507.02 and section 4507.16 of the Revised Code,	156
the owner of a motor vehicle, or manufacturer or dealer, may	157
obtain from the registrar, or from a deputy registrar if	158
authorized by the registrar, a duplicate thereof or a new license	159
platesplate bearing a different number, if the registrar	160
considers it advisable, upon filing an application prescribed by	161
the registrar, and upon paying a fee of one dollar for such	162
certificate of registration, which one dollar fee shall be	163
deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the state	164
bureau of motor vehicles fund created in section 4501.25 of the	165
Revised Code. Commencing with each request made on or after	166
October 1, 2009, or in conjunction with a replacement license	167
platesplate issued for renewal registrations expiring on or after	168
October 1, 2009, a fee of seven dollars and fifty cents for each	169
set of two license plates or six dollars and fifty cents for each	170
single license plate or validation sticker shall be charged and	171
collected, of which the registrar shall deposit five dollars and	172
fifty cents of each seven dollar and fifty cent fee or each six	173
dollar and fifty cent fee into the state treasury to the credit of	174
the state highway safety fund created in section 4501.06 of the	175
Revised Code and the remaining portion of each such fee into the	176
state treasury to the credit of the state bureau of motor vehicles	177
fund created in section 4501.25 of the Revised Code. In addition,	178
each applicant for a replacement certificate of registration,	179
license plate, or validation sticker shall pay the fees provided	180
in divisions (C) and (D) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code.	181

Additionally, the registrar and each deputy registrar who	182
either issues a license platesplate and a validation sticker for	183
use on any vehicle other than a commercial tractor, semitrailer,	184
or apportioned vehicle, or who issues a validation sticker alone	185
for use on such a vehicle and the owner has changed the owner's	186
county of residence since the owner last was issued county	187
identification stickers, also shall issue and deliver to the owner	188
either one or twoa county identification stickers, as appropriate	189
sticker, which shall be attached to the license platesplate in a	190
manner prescribed by the director of public safety. The county	191
identification stickerssticker shall identify prominently by name	192
or number the county in which the owner of the vehicle resides at	193
the time of registration.	194

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor	195
misdemeanor.	196

Sec. 4503.192. The display of a single current license plate	197
and validation sticker on the rear of a motor vehicle sufficiently	198
indicates that the vehicle is registered in this state. Any	199
reference in the Revised Code to license plates, a set of license	200
plates, registration plates, or validation stickers is deemed to	201
be a reference to the single license plate and validation sticker	202
required by section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.	203

Sec. 4503.21.  (A) No person who is the owner or operator of	204
a motor vehicle shall fail to display in plain view on the front	205
and rear of the motor vehicle the distinctive number and	206
registration mark, including any county identification sticker and	207
any validation sticker issued under sections 4503.19 and 4503.191	208
of the Revised Code, furnished by the director of public safety,	209
except that a manufacturer of motor vehicles or dealer therein,	210
the holder of an in transit permit, and the owner or operator of a	211
motorcycle, motorized bicycle, manufactured home, mobile home,	212
trailer, or semitrailer shall display on the rear only. A motor	213
vehicle that is issued two license plates shall display the	214
validation sticker only on the rear license plate, except that a	215
commercial tractor that does not receive an apportioned license	216
plate under the international registration plan shall display the	217
license plate and validation sticker on the front of the	218
commercial tractor. An apportioned vehicle receiving an	219
apportioned license plate under the international registration	220
plan shall display the license plate only on the front of a	221
commercial tractor and on the rear of all other vehicles. AllThe	222
license platesplate shall be securely fastened so as not to	223
swing, and shall not be covered by any material that obstructs	224
theirits visibility.	225

No person to whom a temporary license placard or windshield	226
sticker has been issued for the use of a motor vehicle under	227
section 4503.182 of the Revised Code, and no operator of that	228
motor vehicle, shall fail to display the temporary license placard	229
in plain view from the rear of the vehicle either in the rear	230
window or on an external rear surface of the motor vehicle, or	231
fail to display the windshield sticker in plain view on the rear	232
window of the motor vehicle. No temporary license placard or	233
windshield sticker shall be covered by any material that obstructs	234
its visibility.	235

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor	236
misdemeanor.	237

Sec. 4503.23.  No motor vehicle designed to carry passengers,	238
owned or leased by the state, or any of its departments, bureaus,	239
commissions, or institutions supported in whole or in part by	240
funds provided by the state, shall be operated or driven by any	241
person unless it has displayed, in a prominent position on both	242
the front and rear of the vehicle, identification plates whicha	243
license plate that shall be the same size, shape, and treated for	244
increased visibility in the same manner as those issued by the	245
registrar of motor vehicles for private vehicles. Such	246
identification platesThe license plate shall be attached to the	247
vehicle in the same manner as provided by statute for the	248
illumination and attachment of a license platesplate on private	249
vehicles. The registrar shall designate the colors of the license	250
tags whichplate that shall be used on state-owned cars; suchthe	251
colors shall be other than those used on privately owned motor	252
vehicles, and shall apply only to license plates used on	253
state-owned motor vehicles. Said platesThe plate shall bear a	254
special serial number, and the words "Ohio State Car."	255

Sec. 4549.10.  (A) No person shall operate or cause to be	256
operated upon a public road or highway a motor vehicle of a	257
manufacturer or dealer unless the vehicle carries and displays two	258
placardsa placard, except as provided in section 4503.21 of the	259
Revised Code, issued by the director of public safety that bear	260
bears the registration number of its manufacturer or dealer.	261

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty	262
of illegal operation of a manufacturer's or dealer's motor	263
vehicle, a minor misdemeanor.	264

Section 2. That existing sections 4503.181, 4503.19, 4503.21,	265
4503.23, and 4549.10 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.	266