Bill Text: VA SB91 | 2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Emergency medical services agencies; registration of vehicles owned or used by agencies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-03-01 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0133) [SB91 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2016-SB91-Chaptered.html

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CHAPTER 133 An Act to amend and reenact §§46.2-649.1:1 and 46.2-711 of the Code of Virginia, relating to license plates for emergency vehicles. [S 91] Approved March 1, 2016

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§46.2-649.1:1 and 46.2-711 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§46.2-649.1:1. Registration of vehicles owned and used by volunteer fire departments or volunteer, commercial, or private emergency medical services agencies.

Upon application therefor, the Commissioner shall register and issue permanent license plates without year or month decals for display on any (i) firefighting truck, trailer, and semitrailer on which firefighting apparatus is permanently attached when any such vehicle is owned or under exclusive control of a volunteer fire department or; (ii) emergency medical services vehicle or other vehicle owned or used exclusively by a volunteer fire department or volunteer emergency medical services agency if any such vehicle is used exclusively as an emergency medical services vehicle and is not rented, leased, or lent to any private individual, firm, or corporation, and no charge is made by the organization for the use of the vehicle; or (iii) emergency medical services vehicle owned or under exclusive control of a commercial or privately owned emergency medical services agency, as defined in §32.1-111.1, if any such vehicle is not rented, leased, or lent to any private individual, firm, or corporation that is not another emergency medical services agency. The equipment shall be painted a distinguishing color and conspicuously display in letters and figures not less than three inches in height the identity of the emergency medical services agency, volunteer fire department, or volunteer emergency medical services agency having control of its operation.

No fee shall be charged for any vehicle registration or license plate issuance under this section clause (i) or (ii). The fees charged for vehicle registration under clause (iii) shall be as provided in §46.2-694.

§46.2-711. Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required.

A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registered moped, motorcycle, autocycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license plates for every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicle dealers and persons delivering unladen vehicles who shall be furnished one license plate. The license plates for trailers, semitrailers, commercial vehicles, and trucks, other than license plates for dealers, may be of such design as to prevent removal without mutilating some part of the indicia forming a part of the license plate, when secured to the bracket.

B. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for:

1. Passenger-carrying vehicles for rent or hire for the transportation of passengers for private trips, other than TNC partner vehicles as defined in §46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of §46.2-649.1:1;

2. Taxicabs;

3. Passenger-carrying vehicles operated by common carriers or restricted common carriers;

4. Property-carrying motor vehicles to applicants who operate as private carriers only;

5. Applicants, other than TNC partners as defined in § 46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of §46.2-649.1:1, who operate motor vehicles as carriers for rent or hire;

6. Vehicles operated by nonemergency medical transportation carriers as defined in §46.2-2000; and

7. Trailers and semitrailers.

C. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for motor vehicles held for rental as defined in §58.1-1735.

D. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for low-speed vehicles.

E. No vehicles shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth without displaying the license plates required by this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles used to collect and deliver the Unites States mail to the extent that their rear license plates may be covered by the "CAUTION, FREQUENT STOPS, U.S. MAIL" sign when the vehicle is engaged in the collection and delivery of the United States mail.

F. Pickup or panel trucks are exempt from the provisions of subsection B with reference to displaying for-hire license plates when operated as a carrier for rent or hire. However, this exemption shall not apply to pickup or panel trucks subject to regulation under Chapter 21 (§46.2-2100 et seq.).