HF 2342 (LSB 5752HV (2) 89)

HOUSE FILE 2342

BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 618)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the display of a county name on vehicle registration plates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.166, subsection 2, Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  Every registration plate or pair of plates shall display a registration plate number which shall consist of alphabetical or numerical characters or a combination thereof and the name of this state, which may be abbreviated. Every Except for registration plates issued for vehicles registered in accordance with section 321.20, subsection 4, every registration plate issued by the county treasurer shall display the name of the county, including any plate issued pursuant to section 321.34, except Pearl Harbor and purple heart registration plates issued prior to January 1, 1997,; registration plates issued pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 13, paragraph “d”; and collegiate, fire fighter, and medal of honor registration plates. A registration plate issued by the county treasurer for a vehicle registered in accordance with section 321.20, subsection 4, need not display the name of the county. Special truck registration plates shall display the word “special”. The department may adopt rules to implement this subsection.
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, every vehicle registration plate issued by a county treasurer must display the name of the county, including any special registration plates issued pursuant to Code section 321.34, with limited exceptions. Generally, a person must register a vehicle in the person's county of residence. However, because the department of transportation did not implement a program for electronic applications, titling, registering, and funds transfers for vehicles by July 1, 2019, a person may register a vehicle in a contiguous county.
   This bill makes displaying the name of the county on plates issued by the county treasurer in this manner optional and strikes an outdated reference in Code section 321.166.
   Under current law, 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, including the county name. A violation of this provision is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine of $30.