Bill Text: MS SB2488 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Auto liability insurance; require minimum coverage before renewing registration.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-01-30 - Died In Committee [SB2488 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2018-SB2488-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2018 Regular Session

To: Insurance; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Kirby

Senate Bill 2488

AN ACT TO AMEND REENACTED SECTION 63-16-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE IN AT LEAST THE MINIMUM AMOUNTS REQUIRED BY LAW BEFORE A MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER MAY RENEW A REGISTRATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 63-16-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted and amended as follows:

     63-16-9.  Every owner of a motor vehicle in this state shall comply with the motor vehicle liability insurance coverage in at least the minimum amounts required under Section 63-15-3(j) before that owner may * * *receive renew a registration for a motor vehicle * * * or renew a registration.  The owner must also maintain continuous coverage in at least the minimum amounts required under Section 63-15-3(j) throughout the registration period. * * *The verification system shall be used at registration to determine compliance with this section and the response received from the system supersedes an insurance card produced by a motor vehicle owner or operator, and notwithstanding the display of an insurance card by the owner or operator, the owner shall be denied a registration for a motor vehicle or renewal of a registration based on the verification system's response of noncompliance.  The Department of Revenue must make the verification system available to the tax collector through its title/registration network system.  If the owner is applying for the initial registration of a motor vehicle, then the owner may be granted a registration notwithstanding the response received from the verification system.

     The Department of Revenue shall utilize the Mississippi Vehicle Insurance Verification System operated by the Department of Public Safety in order to determine if such coverage exists and has been maintained during the before registration period.  If it is determined that such coverage does not exist or has not been maintained, a civil penalty of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) shall be assessed and must be paid before the registration renewal.  After the deduction of the actual and necessary expenses of administering this program, the net proceeds from the civil penalties shall be deposited into the State General Fund.

     The Department of Revenue shall arrange its statewide registration system to prevent noncompliant registration renewals from being issued.  Under no circumstances shall county tax collectors have the responsibility for collecting the civil penalties or in verifying insurance coverage.  The county tax collectors shall instead only inform any inquiring registrant of the Department of Revenue's requirements and processes concerning insurance compliance and civil penalties.

     The Department of Revenue shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to enforce this section.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.

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