Senate File 9 - Introduced SENATE FILE 9 BY SCHOENJAHN A BILL FOR An Act concerning registration plates issued for business-trade 1 trucks and special trucks, and including applicability date 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1150XS (6) 84 dea/nh

S.F. 9 Section 1. Section 321.120, subsection 3, Code 2011, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 3. Upon approval of the application and payment of 3 the proper fees, the county treasurer shall issue regular 4 registration plates for the vehicle which distinguish the 5 vehicle as a business-trade truck. The department may adopt 6 rules requiring the use of a sticker or other means to identify 7 motor vehicles registered under this section. 8 Sec. 2. Section 321.121, Code 2011, is amended by adding the 9 following new subsection: 10 NEW SUBSECTION . 1A. Upon approval of the application 11 and payment of the proper fees, the county treasurer shall 12 issue regular registration plates for the special truck. The 13 department may adopt rules requiring the use of a sticker or 14 other means to identify motor vehicles registered under this 15 section. 16 Sec. 3. PHASED-IN ELIMINATION OF BUSINESS-TRADE TRUCK AND 17 SPECIAL TRUCK PLATES. 18 1. It is the intent of the general assembly that the owners 19 of business-trade trucks and special trucks have access to 20 any of the specialty registration plates issued under section 21 321.34 under the same terms and conditions that apply to owners 22 of other motor vehicles under that section. 23 2. By January 1, 2012, the department of transportation 24 shall discontinue the practice of issuing business-trade truck 25 registration plates and special truck registration plates, 26 and shall instead provide regular registration plates for new 27 business-trade truck and special truck registrations. Current 28 requirements and fees for business-trade truck and special 29 truck registrations continue to apply. In conjunction with the 30 transition to the issuance of regular registration plates for 31 business-trade and special trucks, the following registration 32 practices shall apply: 33 a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, current owners of 34 vehicles with business-trade or special truck plates shall 35 -1- LSB 1150XS (6) 84 dea/nh 1/ 3

S.F. 9 continue to use those plates until ownership of the vehicle is 1 transferred or until a new series of Iowa registration plates 2 is issued by the department of transportation. 3 b. The owner of a motor vehicle with current business-trade 4 truck plates or special truck plates may elect to be issued 5 specialty plates in lieu of the current registration plates for 6 the vehicle, subject to the terms and conditions applicable 7 under section 321.34. 8 c. The owner of a motor vehicle being registered for the 9 first time as a business-trade truck or special truck may elect 10 to be issued specialty plates in lieu of regular registration 11 plates, subject to the terms and conditions applicable under 12 section 321.34. 13 Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies for registration 14 plates issued during registration periods beginning on or after 15 January 1, 2012. 16 EXPLANATION 17 Under current law, a motor truck that qualifies for 18 business-trade truck registration fees or special truck 19 registration fees is issued registration plates which 20 are specially designed to distinguish the vehicle as a 21 business-trade truck or a special truck. As a consequence 22 of this requirement, the owner of a business-trade truck 23 or special truck for farm use is not eligible for any of 24 the special registration plates for which the owner might 25 otherwise qualify. This bill provides the option of applying 26 for specialty plates for trucks with business-trade or special 27 truck registrations. 28 The bill requires the department of transportation to 29 discontinue the issuance of business-trade and special truck 30 registration plates with a distinguishing design on or before 31 January 1, 2012. The department may provide by rule for 32 another means of identifying business-trade trucks and special 33 trucks for enforcement purposes. 34 Under the bill, most current owners of trucks which have 35 -2- LSB 1150XS (6) 84 dea/nh 2/ 3

S.F. 9 already been issued business-trade or special truck plates 1 shall continue to use those plates until ownership transfers or 2 the department of transportation issues a new series of Iowa 3 registration plates. However, an owner may elect to trade 4 current business-trade or special truck plates for any of the 5 specialty plates for which the owner qualifies, subject to the 6 additional fees applicable for the specialty plates. An owner 7 who applies for a new registration of a business-trade truck or 8 special truck will have the option to choose specialty plates 9 or be issued regular registration plates. 10 Current requirements and fees for business-trade and special 11 truck registrations are not affected by the bill. The bill 12 is applicable for plates issued during registration periods 13 beginning on or after January 1, 2012. 14 -3- LSB 1150XS (6) 84 dea/nh 3/ 3