HF 2148 (LSB 1764HZ (3) 86)

HOUSE FILE 2148

BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 540)
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 111)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the issuance and display of one registration plate on motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.18, subsection 7, Code 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   7.  Any school bus in this state used exclusively for the transportation of pupils to and from school or a school function or for the purposes provided in section 285.1, subsection 1, and section 285.10, subsection 9, or used exclusively for the transportation of children enrolled in a federal head start program. Upon application the department shall, without charge, issue a registration certificate and a registration plates plate. The plates plate shall be attached to the front and rear of each bus exempt from registration under this subsection.
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.22, subsection 1, Code 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  An urban transit company or system having a franchise to operate in any city and any regional transit system may make application to the department, upon forms furnished by the department, for a certificate containing a distinguishing number and for one or more pairs of registration plates to be attached to the front and rear of buses owned or operated by the transit company or system.
    Sec. 3.  Section 321.26, subsection 2, Code 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  The county treasurer may adjust the renewal or expiration date of vehicles when deemed necessary to equalize the number of vehicles registered in each twelve-month period or for the administrative efficiency of the county treasurer’s office. The adjustment shall be accomplished by delivery of a written notice to the vehicle owner of the adjustment and allowance of a credit for the remaining months of the unused portion of the annual registration fee, rounded to the nearest whole dollar, which amount shall be deducted from the annual registration fee due at the time of registration. Upon receipt of the notification the owner shall, within thirty days, surrender the registration card and registration plates plate to the county treasurer of the county where the vehicle is registered, except that the registration plates plate shall not be surrendered if a validation stickers sticker or other emblems are emblem is used to designate the month and year of expiration of registration. Upon payment of the annual registration fee, less the credit allowed for the remaining months of the unused portion of the annual registration fee, the county treasurer shall issue a new registration card and registration plates plate, validation stickers sticker, or emblems emblem which indicate indicates the month and year of expiration of registration.
    Sec. 4.  Section 321.34, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2016, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  Plates Plate issued.  The county treasurer upon receiving application, accompanied by proper fee, for registration of a vehicle shall issue to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, truck tractor, trailer, or semitrailer and two registration plates for every other motor vehicle. The registration plates plate, including any special registration plates plate, shall be assigned to the owner of a vehicle. When the owner of a registered vehicle transfers or assigns ownership of the vehicle to another person, the owner shall remove the registration plates plate from the vehicle. The owner shall forward the plates plate to the county treasurer where the vehicle is registered or the owner may have the plates plate assigned to another vehicle within thirty days after transfer, upon payment of the fees required by law. The owner shall immediately affix the registration plates plate retained by the owner to another vehicle owned or acquired by the owner, providing the owner complies with section 321.46. The department shall adopt rules providing for the assignment of a registration plates plate to the transferee of a vehicle for which a credit is allowed under section 321.46, subsection 6.
   2.  Validation stickers.
   a.  In lieu of issuing a new registration plates plate each registration year for a vehicle renewing registration, the department may reassign the registration plates plate previously issued to the vehicle and may adopt and prescribe an annual validation sticker indicating payment of annual registration fees. The department shall issue one validation sticker for each set of registration plates plate. The sticker shall specify the month and year of expiration of the registration plates plate. The sticker shall be displayed only on the rear registration plate, except that the sticker shall be displayed on the front registration plate of a truck tractor.
   b.  The state department of transportation shall adopt rules to provide for the placement of the motor vehicle registration validation sticker.
    Sec. 5.  Section 321.37, Code 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   321.37  Display of plates plate.
   1.  Registration plates The registration plate issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, motorized bicycle or a truck tractor shall be attached to the rear of the motor vehicle, one in the front and the other in the rear. The registration plate issued for a motorcycle or other vehicle required to be registered hereunder shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck tractor shall be attached to the front of the truck tractor. The special plate issued to a dealer shall be attached on the rear of the vehicle when operated on the highways of this state.
   2.  Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle which is model year 1948 or older, and reconstructed or specially constructed vehicles built to resemble a model year 1948 vehicle or older, other than a truck registered for more than five tons, motorcycle, or truck tractor, may display one registration plate on the rear of the vehicle if the other registration plate issued to the vehicle is carried in the vehicle at all times when the vehicle is operated on a public highway.
   3.  2.  It is unlawful for the owner of a vehicle to place any frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters printed on the registration plate.
    Sec. 6.  CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE.  The Code editor may make any change the Code editor deems necessary to any Code section that refers, in any context, to a set of, a pair of, or two motor vehicle registration plates rather than one registration plate, when there appears to be no doubt as to the proper method of making the correction.
    Sec. 7.  TRANSITION PROVISIONS.  The transition from the use of motor vehicle registration plates on both the front and rear of certain vehicles to the use of such plates on only the rear of certain vehicles, as directed by this Act, shall be accomplished in stages. A person applying for a new or replacement registration plate on or after July 1, 2016, shall receive only one registration plate. Otherwise, the transition shall not be accomplished until a new series of registration plates is issued to replace a current series. The department of transportation shall adopt rules to implement the transition.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, two registration plates are issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or truck tractor, and are required to be attached to the front and rear of the vehicle.
   This bill provides that only one registration plate shall be issued for a motor vehicle. The registration plate shall be attached to the rear of the motor vehicle, except that the registration plate for a truck tractor shall be attached to the front of the truck tractor, in accord with current law. 
   The bill also makes corresponding Code language changes, directs the Code editor to make changes to language referring to two registration plates rather than one, and provides for the transition from the use of two registration plates to the use of one registration plate.