SENATE FILE 9

BY  SCHOENJAHN

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning registration plates issued for business-trade trucks and special trucks, and including applicability date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 321.120, subsection 3, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Upon approval of the application and payment of the proper fees, the county treasurer shall issue regular registration plates for thevehicle which distinguish the vehicle as a business-trade truck.  The department may adopt rules requiring the use of a sticker or other means to identify motor vehicles registered under this section.
   Sec. 2.  Section 321.121, Code 2011, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  Upon approval of the application and payment of the proper fees, the county treasurer shall issue regular registration plates for the special truck. The department may adopt rules requiring the use of a sticker or other means to identify motor vehicles registered under this section.
   Sec. 3.  PHASED-IN ELIMINATION OF BUSINESS-TRADE TRUCK AND SPECIAL TRUCK PLATES.
   1.  It is the intent of the general assembly that the owners of business-trade trucks and special trucks have access to any of the specialty registration plates issued under section 321.34 under the same terms and conditions that apply to owners of other motor vehicles under that section.
   2.  By January 1, 2012, the department of transportation shall discontinue the practice of issuing business-trade truck registration plates and special truck registration plates, and shall instead provide regular registration plates for new business-trade truck and special truck registrations. Current requirements and fees for business-trade truck and special truck registrations continue to apply. In conjunction with the transition to the issuance of regular registration plates for business-trade and special trucks, the following registration practices shall apply:
   a.  Except as provided in paragraph “b”, current owners of vehicles with business-trade or special truck plates shall continue to use those plates until ownership of the vehicle is transferred or until a new series of Iowa registration plates is issued by the department of transportation.
   b.  The owner of a motor vehicle with current business-trade truck plates or special truck plates may elect to be issued specialty plates in lieu of the current registration plates for the vehicle, subject to the terms and conditions applicable under section 321.34. 
   c.  The owner of a motor vehicle being registered for the first time as a business-trade truck or special truck may elect to be issued specialty plates in lieu of regular registration plates, subject to the terms and conditions applicable under section 321.34.
   Sec. 4.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies for registration plates issued during registration periods beginning on or after January 1, 2012.
EXPLANATION
   Under current law, a motor truck that qualifies for business-trade truck registration fees or special truck registration fees is issued registration plates which are specially designed to distinguish the vehicle as a business-trade truck or a special truck. As a consequence of this requirement, the owner of a business-trade truck or special truck for farm use is not eligible for any of the special registration plates for which the owner might otherwise qualify. This bill provides the option of applying for specialty plates for trucks with business-trade or special truck registrations.
   The bill requires the department of transportation to discontinue the issuance of business-trade and special truck registration plates with a distinguishing design on or before January 1, 2012. The department may provide by rule for another means of identifying business-trade trucks and special trucks for enforcement purposes.
   Under the bill, most current owners of trucks which have already been issued business-trade or special truck plates shall continue to use those plates until ownership transfers or the department of transportation issues a new series of Iowa registration plates. However, an owner may elect to trade current business-trade or special truck plates for any of the specialty plates for which the owner qualifies, subject to the additional fees applicable for the specialty plates. An owner who applies for a new registration of a business-trade truck or special truck will have the option to choose specialty plates or be issued regular registration plates.
   Current requirements and fees for business-trade and special truck registrations are not affected by the bill. The bill is applicable for plates issued during registration periods beginning on or after January 1, 2012.