Bill Text: WV SB533 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibiting visual obstruction of motor vehicle registration plates
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-20 - To Transportation and Infrastructure [SB533 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2015-SB533-Introduced.html
Senate Bill No. 533
(By Senators Laird, D. Hall, Trump, Boso and Romano)
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[Introduced February 20, 2015; referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and then to the Committee on the Judiciary.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §17A-3-15 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to prohibition of obstructing view of motor vehicle registration plates.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17A-3-15 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-15. Display of registration plates.
(a) Registration plates issued for vehicles required to be registered under this article shall be attached to the rear of the vehicles except that on truck tractors and road tractors designed and constructed to pull trailers or semitrailers, the registration plate shall be mounted to the front.
(b) Every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than twelve inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of the plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained free from foreign materials, covers or obstructions, either physical or electronic and in a condition to be clearly legible, visually or by electronic means.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, an owner of a motor vehicle with a Class G registration as defined in section one, article ten of this chapter may choose to:
(1) Display a standard, Class G registration plate in a horizontal position; or
(2) Display a specially designed Class G registration plate in a vertical position issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles if the owner:
(A) Pays a one-time fee of $25 to cover the additional cost and services necessary to issue the special registration plate to be deposited into a special revolving fund to be used for the administration of this chapter; and
(B) Pays all other required fees and complies with all other applicable provisions of this code regarding the titling, registration and operation of the vehicle.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit obstruction of motor vehicle registration plates by a physical cover or electronic means.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
