Bill Text: CA SB773 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Senate Bill 773 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Vehicles: registration fraud.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 776, Statutes of 2016. [SB773 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB773-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 773	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  776
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 26, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 24, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 15, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 23, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 1, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 7, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Allen

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to add Section 5204.5 to, and to add and repeal Section
4024 of, the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicle registration.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 773, Allen. Vehicles: registration fraud.
   Existing law prohibits a person from driving, moving, or leaving
standing upon a highway, or in an offstreet public parking facility,
any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole or pipe dolly, or
logging dolly, unless it is registered and the appropriate fees have
been paid, except as specified. Existing law makes it a felony for a
person who, with the intent to prejudice, damage, or defraud, alters,
forges, counterfeits, or falsifies a registration card or who
utters, publishes, passes, or attempts to pass, as true and genuine,
a false, altered, forged, or counterfeited registration card knowing
it to be false, altered, forged, or counterfeited.
   This bill would, until January 1, 2021, request the University of
California to conduct a study on motor vehicle registration fraud and
failure to register a motor vehicle, and would require the study to
include specified information, including quantification of the
magnitude of the problem, the costs to the state and local
governments in lost revenues, and recommended strategies for
increasing compliance with registration requirements. The bill would
require the Department of Motor Vehicles to enter into an agreement
with the University of California to share its vehicle registration
information for purposes of conducting the study and would require
the Department of the California Highway Patrol to provide specified
information to the University of California researchers who are
conducting the study. The bill would request the University of
California to post a report of the study on its Internet Web site no
later than January 1, 2018.
   Existing law specifies requirements for the form and display of
month and year vehicle registration tabs.
   This bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to post
on its Internet Web site, and any other appropriate online venue used
by the department for public outreach, detailed instructions for
motorists that describe how to prevent theft of those tabs.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) Motor vehicle registration fraud and failure to register a
motor vehicle are both illegal and fundamentally unfair to the vast
majority of Californians who comply with registration requirements.
These crimes rob the state and local governments of millions of
dollars of revenues needed for vital purposes, such as transportation
projects, supporting the Department of the California Highway
Patrol, deterring auto theft, enforcing laws prohibiting driving
under the influence of alcohol or drugs, removing abandoned vehicles,
and many other socially desirable programs.
   (2) Motor vehicle registration fraud and failure to register a
motor vehicle also have significant public health consequences and
contribute disproportionately to motor vehicle emissions because many
individuals committing registration fraud have gross emitting
vehicles and are deliberately circumventing the inspection and
maintenance program.
   (3) Motor vehicle registration fraud and failure to register a
motor vehicle also significantly increase insurance costs for
law-abiding citizens.
   (4) It is in the public interest to have motor vehicle owners
comply with existing registration laws.
   (b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to encourage
motorists to register their vehicles in accordance with existing law.

  SEC. 2.  Section 4024 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   4024.  (a) The University of California is requested to conduct a
study on motor vehicle registration fraud and failure to register a
motor vehicle. The study shall include all of the following:
   (1) Quantification of the magnitude of the problem.
   (2) The strategies being used by motorists to commit motor vehicle
registration fraud.
   (3) The reasons for the behaviors of motorists who commit fraud in
registration of, or who fail to register, their motor vehicles.
   (4) The costs to the state and local governments in lost revenues.

   (5) Increases in air pollution.
   (6) Other costs and consequences of these behaviors.
   (7) Recommended strategies for increasing compliance with
registration requirements.
   (b) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall enter into an agreement
with the University of California to share its vehicle registration
information with the University of California researchers for the
purposes of conducting the study. The Department of the California
Highway Patrol shall share information on its efforts to combat
registration fraud, including the CHEATERS program, with the
University of California researchers who are conducting the study.
   (c) The University of California is requested to post a report of
the study on its Internet Web site no later than January 1, 2018.
   (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2021, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends
that date.
  SEC. 3.  Section 5204.5 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   5204.5.  The department shall post on its Internet Web site, and
any other appropriate online venue used by the department for public
outreach, detailed instructions for motorists that describe how to
prevent theft of the tabs described in Section 5204.