Bill Text: MS HB251 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Distinctive license tags; revise distribution of fees collected from certain tags issued to firefighters.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2013-02-05 - Died In Committee [HB251 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2013-HB251-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Ways and Means
By: Representative Miles
House Bill 251
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-19-56.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE ISSUANCE OF DISTINCTIVE MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE TAGS TO FIREFIGHTERS, TO PROVIDE THAT A PORTION OF THE ADDITIONAL FEE COLLECTED FROM THE ISSUANCE OF SUCH LICENSE TAGS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE MISSISSIPPI FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION RATHER THAN DEPOSITED INTO THE MISSISSIPPI BURN CARE FUND; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 27-19-56.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-19-56.1. (1) Any owner
of a motor vehicle who is a firefighter, including a career firefighter, a
volunteer firefighter or an industrial firefighter, employed by or in the
service of any municipality, county, fire district, state agency or industry in
the state who is a resident of this state, or who is a retired firefighter who
is a resident of this state, upon payment of the road and bridge privilege
taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private
carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles,
and upon payment of an additional fee in the amount provided in subsection (3)
of this section, shall be issued a distinctive license tag for each motor
vehicle registered in his name identifying such person as a firefighter or
retired firefighter. The distinctive license tags so issued shall be of such
color and design as may be agreed upon by the Executive Committee of the
Mississippi Fire Fighters Association and the * * * Department of Revenue,
shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to
distinguish each license tag and may, in the discretion of the * * * Department of
Revenue, display the county name.
(2) Application for the
distinctive license tags authorized by this section shall be made to the county
tax collector on forms prescribed by the * * * Department of
Revenue. Applicants for such distinctive license tags (a) shall present to
the issuing official proof of their employment or service as a firefighter by
presentation of the applicant's official firefighter identification card or a
signed and notarized affidavit from the governing authority or chief executive
officer of the municipality, county, fire district, agency or industry by or
for whom the applicant is employed or serves as a firefighter; or (b) shall
present proof that they are a retired firefighter by presentation of a signed
and notarized affidavit from the governing authority or chief executive officer
of the municipality, county, fire district, agency or industry from whom the
firefighter retired. The application and the additional fee imposed under
subsection (3) of this section, less three percent (3%) thereof to be retained
by the tax collector, shall be remitted to the * * * Department of
Revenue on a monthly basis as prescribed by the * * * department. The portion of
the additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited into the
county general fund.
(3) Beginning with any registration year commencing on or after July 1, 1992, any person applying for a distinctive license tag under this section shall pay an additional fee in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each distinctive license tag applied for under this section which shall be in addition to all other taxes and fees. The additional fee paid shall be for a period of time to run concurrently with the vehicle's established license tag year. The additional fee is due and payable at the time the original application is made for a distinctive license tag under this section and thereafter annually at the time of renewal registration as long as the owner retains the distinctive license tag. If the owner does not wish to retain the distinctive license tag, or if the owner resigns from or otherwise vacates his employment or service as a firefighter, he must surrender it to the local county tax collector.
(4) The * * * Department of
Revenue shall deposit all fees into the State Treasury on the day
collected. At the end of each month, the * * * Department of
Revenue shall certify to the State Treasurer the total fees collected under
this section from the issuance of distinctive license tags. The State
Treasurer shall distribute an amount equal to Seven Dollars ($7.00) of the
additional fees collected for each such distinctive license tag issued under
this section to the State General Fund, and the remainder of such additional
fees collected shall be distributed by the State Treasurer to the * * *
Mississippi Fire Fighters Association.
(5) A regular license tag must be properly displayed as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag under this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered to the tax collector upon issuance of the distinctive license tag under this section. The tax collector shall issue up to two (2) license decals for each distinctive license tag issued under this section, which will expire the same month and year as the regular license tag.
(6) In the case of loss or theft of a distinctive license tag issued under this section, the owner may make application and affidavit for a replacement distinctive license tag as provided by Section 27-19-37, Mississippi Code of 1972. The fee for a replacement distinctive license tag shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00). The tax collector receiving such application and affidavit shall be entitled to retain and deposit into the county general fund five percent (5%) of the fee for such replacement license tag and the remainder shall be distributed in the same manner as funds from the sale of regular distinctive license tags issued under this section.
(7) In lieu of the
distinctive license tag authorized under subsections (1) through (6) of this
section, any person who presents proof of his employment or service as a
firefighter in the manner provided in subsection (2) of this section, may be
issued a distinctive license tag decal for each motor vehicle registered in his
name identifying such person as a firefighter. The distinctive license tag
decal shall be of such size, color and design as may be agreed upon by the
Executive Committee of the Mississippi Fire Fighters Association and the * * * Department of Revenue;
however, the * * * Department of Revenue
shall have final approval of the size, color and design. The distinctive
license tag decals shall be prepared and sold at Two Dollars ($2.00) each
through the Mississippi Fire Fighters Training Academy.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.
