HOUSE BILL No. 4989

 

September 17, 2013, Introduced by Reps. Kurtz, Daley, Zorn, Denby, Rendon, Lauwers, Victory and Outman and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

 

     A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled

 

"Michigan vehicle code,"

 

by amending sections 224, 226, and 802 (MCL 257.224, 257.226, and

 

257.802), section 224 as amended by 2012 PA 491, section 226 as

 

amended by 2004 PA 163, and section 802 as amended by 2011 PA 159.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 224. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this act

 

regarding tabs or stickers, upon registering a vehicle, the

 

secretary of state shall issue to the owner 1 registration plate.

 

     (2) A registration plate shall display the registration number

 

assigned to the vehicle for which the registration plate is issued;

 

the name of this state, which may be abbreviated; and when the

 

registration plate expires, which may be shown by a tab or sticker

 

furnished by the secretary of state.


 

     (3) A registration plate issued for motor vehicles owned and

 

operated by this state; a state institution; a municipality; a

 

privately incorporated, nonprofit volunteer fire department; or a

 

nonpublic, nonprofit college or university of this state shall not

 

expire at any particular time but shall be renewed when the

 

registration plate is worn out or is illegible. This registration

 

plate shall be assigned upon proper application and payment of the

 

applicable fee and may be used on any eligible vehicle titled to

 

the applicant if a written record is kept of the vehicles upon

 

which the registration plate is used. The written record shall

 

state the time the registration plate is used on a particular

 

vehicle. The record shall be open to inspection by a law

 

enforcement officer or a representative of the secretary of state.

 

     (4) A registration plate issued for a vehicle owned by the

 

civil air patrol as organized under 36 USC 201 to 208 40301 to

 

40307; a vehicle owned by a nonprofit organization and used to

 

transport equipment for providing dialysis treatment to children at

 

camp; an emergency support vehicle used exclusively for emergencies

 

and owned and operated by a federally recognized nonprofit

 

charitable organization; a vehicle owned and operated by a

 

nonprofit veterans center; a motor vehicle having a truck chassis

 

and a locomotive or ship's body which is owned by a nonprofit

 

veterans organization and used exclusively in parades and civic

 

events; a vehicle owned and operated by a nonprofit recycling

 

center or a federally recognized nonprofit conservation

 

organization until December 31, 2000; a motor vehicle owned and

 

operated by a senior citizen center; and a registration plate


 

issued for buses including station wagons, carryalls, or similarly

 

constructed vehicles owned and operated by a nonprofit parents'

 

transportation corporation used for school purposes, parochial

 

school, society, church Sunday school, or other grammar school, or

 

by a nonprofit youth organization or nonprofit rehabilitation

 

facility shall be issued upon proper application and payment of the

 

applicable tax provided in section 801(1)(g) or (h) to the

 

applicant for the vehicle identified in the application. The

 

vehicle shall be used exclusively for activities of the school or

 

organization and shall be designated by proper signs showing the

 

school or organization operating the vehicle. The registration

 

plate shall expire on December 31 in the fifth year following the

 

date of issuance. The registration plate may be transferred to

 

another vehicle upon proper application and payment of a $10.00

 

transfer fee.

 

     (5) The department shall not issue or transfer a standard

 

design beads on paint registration plate or issue a registration

 

tab or sticker for that plate, but shall offer a new standard

 

design registration plate that complies with the requirements of

 

this act. The new standard design registration plate shall be of a

 

common color scheme and design that is made of fully reflectorized

 

material and shall be clearly visible at night. The implementation

 

of this subsection is contingent upon appropriations sufficient to

 

cover the costs to the department of designing, manufacturing,

 

distributing, and issuing the new standard design registration

 

plate. The secretary of state shall file a written report with the

 

secretary of the senate and the clerk of the house of


 

representatives of the costs incurred and revenue expended to meet

 

the requirements of this subsection within 30 days after all of the

 

standard design beads on paint registration plates to be replaced

 

under this subsection have been replaced.

 

     (6) The department may use the Pure Michigan brand or a

 

successor or similar brand that is used in conjunction with the

 

state's promotion, travel, and tourism campaigns or marketing

 

efforts as part of the standard design for registration plates.

 

     (7) The registration plate and the required letters and

 

numerals on the registration plate shall be of sufficient size to

 

be plainly readable from a distance of 100 feet during daylight.

 

The secretary of state may issue a tab or tabs designating the

 

month and year of expiration.

 

     (8) The secretary of state shall issue for every passenger

 

motor vehicle rented without a driver the same type of registration

 

plate as the type of registration plate issued for private

 

passenger vehicles.

 

     (9) A person shall not operate a vehicle on the public

 

highways or streets of this state displaying a registration plate

 

other than the registration plate issued for the vehicle by the

 

secretary of state, except as provided in this chapter for

 

nonresidents, and by assignment provided in subsection (3).

 

     (10) The registration plate displayed on a vehicle registered

 

on the basis of elected gross weight shall indicate the elected

 

gross weight for which the vehicle is registered.

 

     (11) The registration plate issued to a truck, road tractor,

 

or truck tractor under section 226(13) shall display the phrase "ag


 

service".

 

     Sec. 226. (1) A vehicle registration issued by the secretary

 

of state expires on the owner's birthday, unless another expiration

 

date is provided for under this act or unless the registration is

 

for the following vehicles, in which case registration expires on

 

the last day of February:

 

     (a) A commercial vehicle except for a commercial vehicle

 

issued a registration under the international registration plan or

 

a pickup truck or van owned by an individual.

 

     (b) Except for a trailer or semitrailer issued a registration

 

under the international registration plan, a trailer or semitrailer

 

owned by a business, corporation, or person other than an

 

individual; or a pole trailer.

 

     (2) Until February 1, 2005, the expiration date for a

 

registration issued for a motorcycle is March 31. Beginning

 

February 1, 2005, the expiration date for a registration issued for

 

a motorcycle is the motorcycle owner's birthday.

 

     (3) The expiration date for a registration bearing the letters

 

"SEN" or "REP" is February 1.

 

     (4) In the case of a vehicle owned by a business, corporation,

 

or an owner other than an individual, the secretary of state may

 

assign or reassign the expiration date of the registration.

 

     (5) The secretary of state shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) After the October 1 immediately preceding the year

 

designated on the registration, issue a registration upon

 

application and payment of the proper fee for a commercial vehicle,

 

other than a pickup or van owned by an individual; or a trailer


 

owned by a business, corporation, or person other than an

 

individual.

 

     (b) Beginning 60 days before the expiration date assigned on

 

an international registration plan registration plate, issue a

 

registration under section 801g upon application and payment of the

 

proper apportioned fee for a commercial vehicle engaged in

 

interstate commerce.

 

     (c) Beginning 45 days before the owner's birthday and 120 days

 

before the expiration date assigned by the secretary of state,

 

issue a registration for a vehicle other than those a vehicle

 

designated in subsection (1)(a) or (b). However, if an owner whose

 

registration period begins 45 days before his or her birthday will

 

be out of the this state during the 45 days immediately preceding

 

expiration of a registration or for other good cause shown cannot

 

apply for a renewal registration within the 45-day period,

 

application for a renewal registration may be made not more than 6

 

months before expiration.

 

     (6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the

 

secretary of state, upon application and payment of the proper fee,

 

shall issue a registration for a vehicle or a motorcycle to a

 

resident that shall expire expires on the owner's birthday. If the

 

owner's next birthday is at least 6 months but not more than 12

 

months in the future, the owner shall receive a registration valid

 

until the owner's next birthday. If the owner's next birthday is

 

less than 6 months in the future, the owner shall receive a

 

registration valid until the owner's birthday following the owner's

 

next birthday. The tax required under this act for a registration


 

described in this subsection shall be either of the following:

 

     (a) For an original registration, the tax shall bear the same

 

relationship to the tax required under section 801 for a 12-month

 

registration as the length of the registration bears to 12 months.

 

     (b) For a renewal of a registration, either of the following:

 

     (i) For a registration that is for at least 6 months but not

 

more than 12 months, the same amount as for 12 months.

 

     (ii) For a renewal of a registration that is for more than 12

 

months, 2 times the amount for 12 months.

 

     Partial months shall be are considered as whole months in the

 

calculation of the required tax and in the determination of the

 

length of time between the application for a registration and the

 

owner's next birthday. The tax required for that registration shall

 

be rounded off to whole dollars as provided in section 801.

 

     (7) A certificate of title shall remain is valid until

 

canceled by the secretary of state for cause or upon a transfer of

 

an interest shown on the certificate of title.

 

     (8) The secretary of state, upon request, shall issue special

 

registration for commercial vehicles, valid for 6 months after the

 

date of issue, if the full registration fee exceeds $50.00, on the

 

payment of 1/2 the full registration fee and a service charge as

 

enumerated provided in section 802(1).

 

     (9) The secretary of state may issue a special registration

 

for each of the following:

 

     (a) A new vehicle purchased or leased outside of this state

 

and delivered in this state to the purchaser or lessee by the

 

manufacturer of that vehicle for removal to a place outside of this


 

state, if a certification is made that the vehicle will be

 

primarily used, stored, and registered outside of this state and

 

will not be returned to this state by the purchaser or lessee for

 

use or storage.

 

     (b) A vehicle purchased or leased in this state and delivered

 

to the purchaser or lessee by a dealer or by the owner of the

 

vehicle for removal to a place outside of this state, if a

 

certification is made that the vehicle will be primarily used,

 

stored, and registered outside of this state and will not be

 

returned to this state by the purchaser or lessee for use or

 

storage.

 

     (10) A special registration issued under subsection (9) is

 

valid for not more than 14 days after the date of issuance, and a

 

fee shall be collected for each special registration as provided in

 

section 802(3). The special registration may be in the form

 

determined by the secretary of state. If a dealer makes a retail

 

sale or lease of a vehicle to a purchaser or lessee who is

 

qualified and eligible to obtain a special registration, the dealer

 

shall apply for the special registration for the purchaser or

 

lessee. If a person other than a dealer sells or leases a vehicle

 

to a purchaser or lessee who is qualified and eligible to obtain a

 

special registration, the purchaser or lessee shall appear in

 

person, or by a person exercising the purchaser's or lessee's power

 

of attorney, at an office of the secretary of state and furnish a

 

certification that the person is the bona fide purchaser or lessee

 

or that the person has granted the power of attorney, together with

 

other forms required for the issuance of the special registration


 

and provide the secretary of state with proof that the vehicle is

 

covered by a Michigan no-fault insurance policy issued pursuant to

 

section 3101 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL

 

500.3101, or proof that the vehicle is covered by a policy of

 

insurance issued by an insurer pursuant to section 3163 of the

 

insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3163. The

 

certification required in this subsection shall contain all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The address of the purchaser or lessee.

 

     (b) A statement that the vehicle is purchased or leased for

 

registration outside of this state.

 

     (c) A statement that the vehicle shall be primarily used,

 

stored, and registered outside of this state.

 

     (d) The name of the jurisdiction in which the vehicle is to be

 

registered.

 

     (e) Other information requested by the secretary of state.

 

     (11) Upon request, the secretary of state may issue a

 

registration valid for 6 months after the date of issuance for use

 

on a trailer or semitrailer weighing 1,500 pounds or less and that

 

is used for recreational purposes, upon payment of 1/2 the full

 

registration fee imposed under section 801(1)(l). This subsection

 

does not apply after October 1, 2003.

 

     (11) (12) In the case of a commercial vehicle, trailer, or

 

semitrailer issued a registration under the international

 

registration plan, the secretary of state in mutual agreement with

 

the owner may assign or reassign the expiration date of the

 

registration. However, the expiration date agreed to shall be


 

either March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31. Renewals

 

expiring on or after September 30, 1993 shall be for a minimum of

 

at least 12 months if there is a change in the established

 

expiration date.

 

     (12) (13) The expiration date for a multiyear registration

 

issued for a leased vehicle shall be the date the lease expires but

 

shall not be for a period longer than 24 months.

 

     (13) The secretary of state, upon request, shall issue a

 

special registration for a truck, road tractor, or truck tractor

 

that weighs 8,001 pounds or more if that truck, road tractor, or

 

truck tractor is used within a 100-mile radius of the address of

 

the owner of the truck, road tractor, or truck tractor and is

 

exclusively engaged in providing agricultural services to farm

 

operations.

 

     (14) A person who uses a special registration issued under

 

subsection (13) for a purpose other than providing agricultural

 

services to farm operations is subject to the penalties provided

 

under section 904(3) for a person who violates section 904(1) or

 

(2).

 

     (15) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Agricultural services" includes, but is not limited to,

 

commercial crop production and harvesting, storage of farm

 

products, irrigation, conservation practices, and drainage.

 

Agricultural services do not include animal husbandry, activities

 

involving the use of implements of husbandry, or the transportation

 

of farm products.

 

     (b) "Farm operations" means a farm operation as that term is


 

defined in section 2 of the Michigan right to farm act, 1981 PA 93,

 

MCL 286.472.

 

     (c) "Farm products" means that term as defined in section 2 of

 

the Michigan right to farm act, 1981 PA 93, MCL 286.472.

 

     Sec. 802. (1) For a special registration issued as provided

 

for in under section 226(8), there the registrant shall be paid pay

 

1/2 the tax imposed under section 801 and in addition a service fee

 

of $10.00.

 

     (2) For all commercial vehicles registered after August 31 for

 

the period expiring the last day of February, the secretary of

 

state shall collect a tax of 1/2 the rate otherwise imposed under

 

this act. shall be collected. This subsection does not apply to

 

vehicles registered by manufacturers or dealers under sections 244

 

to 247.

 

     (3) For each special registration as provided for in issued

 

under section 226(9), the secretary of state shall collect a

 

service fee of $10.00. shall be collected.

 

     (4) For temporary registration plates or markers as provided

 

for in issued under section 226a(1), the secretary of state shall

 

collect a service fee of $5.00 for each group of 5 of those

 

temporary registration plates or markers. shall be collected.

 

     (5) For a temporary registration as provided in issued under

 

section 226b, the fee shall be either of the following:

 

     (a) For a 30-day temporary registration, 1/10 of the tax

 

prescribed under section 801 or $20.00, whichever is greater, and

 

an additional $10.00 service fee.

 

     (b) For a 60-day temporary registration, 1/5 of the tax


 

prescribed under section 801 or $40.00, whichever is greater, and

 

an additional $10.00 service fee.

 

     (6) For registration plates as provided for in issued under

 

section 226a(5), (6), and (7), the secretary of state shall collect

 

a service fee of $40.00 for 2 registration plates and $20.00 for

 

each additional registration plate. shall be collected.

 

     (7) For special registrations issued for special mobile

 

equipment as provided in under section 216(d), the secretary of

 

state shall collect a service fee of $15.00 each for the first 3

 

special registrations, and $5.00 for each special registration

 

issued in excess of the first 3. shall be collected.

 

     (8) The secretary of state, upon request, may issue a

 

registration valid for 3 months for use on a vehicle with an

 

elected gross weight of 24,000 pounds or greater on the payment of

 

1/4 the tax provided in section 801(1)(k) and in addition a service

 

fee of $10.00.

 

     (9) Upon application to the secretary of state, an owner of a

 

truck, truck tractor, or road tractor that is used exclusively for

 

the purpose of gratuitously transporting farm crops or livestock

 

bedding between the field where produced and the place of storage,

 

feed from on-farm storage to an on-farm feeding site, or

 

fertilizer, seed, or spray material from the farm location to the

 

field may obtain a special registration. The service fee for each

 

special registration issued under this subsection shall be is

 

$20.00. The special registration shall be is valid for a period of

 

up to 12 months and shall expire expires on December 31. As used in

 

this subsection:


 

     (a) "Feed" means hay or silage.

 

     (b) "Livestock bedding" means straw, sawdust, or sand.

 

     (10) The secretary of state, upon request, may issue a special

 

registration valid for 3 or more months for a road tractor, truck,

 

or truck tractor owned by a farmer, if the motor vehicle is used

 

exclusively in connection with the farmer's farming operations or

 

for the transportation of the farmer and the farmer's family and

 

not used for hire. The fee for the registration shall be is 1/10 of

 

the tax provided in under section 801(1)(c) times the number of

 

months for which the special registration is requested and, in

 

addition, a service fee of $10.00. No special registration shall be

 

issued for a motor vehicle for which the tax under section

 

801(1)(c) would be less than $50.00.

 

     (11) The secretary of state, upon request, may issue a

 

registration valid for 3 months or more for use on a vehicle with

 

an elected gross weight of 24,000 pounds or greater. The fee for

 

the registration shall be is 1/12 of the tax provided in under

 

section 801(1)(k), times the number of months for which the special

 

registration is requested and, in addition, a service fee of

 

$10.00.

 

     (12) For a special registration issued under section 226(13),

 

the secretary of state shall collect a $500.00 service fee. A

 

registrant who is issued a special registration under section

 

226(13) is exempt from the registration tax under section 801.

 

     (13) (12) The service fees collected under subsections (1),

 

(3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), and (11), and (12) shall

 

be deposited in the transportation administration collection fund


 

created in section 810b through October 1, 2015.