SENATE BILL No. 643

 

 

July 19, 2007, Introduced by Senator BROWN and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled

 

"Michigan vehicle code,"

 

by amending section 708b (MCL 257.708b), as amended by 2004 PA 362.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 708b. (1) A person shall not equip or operate a motor

 

vehicle that is to be used upon the highways of this state with a

 

television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a

 

television or video broadcast which that can be viewed by or

 

reflected to the driver.

 

     (2) This section does not apply to:

 

     (a) A radio, heating and air conditioning, or other accessory

 

controls in the motor vehicle.

 

     (b) Driver, passenger, and vehicle information and navigation

 

systems displaying information pertaining to vehicle location,

 

available routes and destinations, road layouts, weather


 

conditions, traffic and road conditions, and vehicle conditions.

 

     (c) Research vehicles if the test plan for the vehicle has

 

been approved by a process meeting federal guidelines established

 

in 45 CFR part 46 for the protection of human beings and the

 

vehicle has been issued a special registration permit by the

 

secretary of state.

 

     (d) A motor vehicle equipped with a video display to monitor

 

the rear view of the vehicle if the monitor is only activated when

 

the vehicle is motionless or in reverse gear and is deactivated

 

within 15 seconds after the motor vehicle's transmission is shifted

 

out of reverse gear enhance or supplement the driver's view

 

forward, behind, or to the side of a motor vehicle for the purpose

 

of maneuvering the vehicle, if the display is automatically

 

deactivated at forward speeds in excess of 12 miles per hour.

 

     (3) A visual device permitted under subsection (2)(b) shall be

 

built into the dashboard or other control area of the vehicle and

 

shall meet all applicable federal motor vehicle dash safety

 

standards. This subsection does not apply to a research vehicle

 

described in subsection (2)(c).

 

     (4) Upon receipt of a completed application, on a form

 

prescribed by the secretary of state, and payment of a fee of

 

$10.00, the secretary of state may issue a special permit

 

authorizing a research vehicle to use the highways of this state. A

 

copy of the authority received by the applicant under subsection

 

(2)(c) shall be submitted as part of the application for the

 

special permit. The special permit may be in a form as prescribed

 

by, and shall be displayed on a research vehicle in a manner


 

determined by, the secretary of state. The special permit shall

 

expire upon completion of or expiration of the specific test plan

 

approved under subsection (2)(c), whichever occurs first, and shall

 

be immediately removed from the research vehicle and destroyed. A

 

special permit shall not be transferred to another vehicle or

 

person. The fee collected under this subsection shall be credited

 

to the Michigan transportation fund and used to defray the expenses

 

of the secretary of state in administering the special permit

 

program. In addition to a special permit, the appropriate vehicle

 

registration plate shall be displayed on a research vehicle to use

 

a highway of this state.

 

     (5) A person who violates this section is responsible for a

 

civil infraction.