A bill

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA BY ADDING ARTICLE 150 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE "HEARING IMPAIRED" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES TO PERSONS WHO ARE HEARING IMPAIRED.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

Article 150

Hearing Impaired Special License Plates

   Section 56-3-15020.   The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Hearing Impaired' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who are hearing impaired. The application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include an original certificate from a licensed physician, as defined in Section 40-75-5, that certifies that the applicant has a permanent, uncorrectable hearing loss of forty decibels or more in one or both ears. The fee for each special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5. Each special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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