Senate Bill No. 67–Senators Wiener and Titus

Prefiled January 29, 1999

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Referred to Committee on Transportation

 

SUMMARY—Authorizes department of motor vehicles and public safety to design, prepare

and issue special license plates upon request. (BDR 43-28)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; authorizing the department of motor vehicles and public safety to design, prepare and issue special license plates upon request; and

providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. Chapter 482 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2 the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act.

1-3 Sec. 2. 1. A person may request the department to design, prepare

1-4 and issue a special license plate by submitting an application to the

1-5 department. Such an application:

1-6 (a) Must be on a form prescribed and furnished by the department;

1-7 (b) Must be accompanied by a petition containing the signatures of at

1-8 least 50 persons who wish to obtain the special license plate;

1-9 (c) Must specify whether the special license plate being requested is

1-10 intended to generate financial support for a particular cause or

1-11 charitable organization and, if so, the name of the cause or charitable

1-12 organization; and

1-13 (d) May be accompanied by suggestions for the design and colors to

1-14 be used in the special license plate.

1-15 2. The department shall not design and prepare a special license

1-16 plate requested pursuant to subsection 1 if the department:

1-17 (a) Receives less than 250 applications for the issuance of the plate

1-18 within 4 years after the date on which the department received the initial

2-1 application for the design, preparation and issuance of the plate

pursuant to subsection 1;

2-2 (b) Determines that the special license plate would promote:

(1) An activity, interest or organization that is offensive or

2-3 discriminatory in its purpose, nature or name;

2-4 (2) A specific product or brand name that is offered for sale; or

(3) A specific religion, faith or antireligious belief; or

2-5 (c) Determines that the special license plate is inappropriate or not

feasible for any other reason.

2-6 3. The department may issue special license plates that the

2-7 department has designed and prepared pursuant to this section for any

passenger car or light commercial vehicle upon application by a person

2-8 who is entitled to license plates pursuant to NRS 482.265 and who

otherwise complies with the requirements for registration and licensing

2-9 pursuant to this chapter. A person may request that personalized prestige

2-10 license plates issued pursuant to NRS 482.3667 be combined with a

special license plate issued pursuant to this section if that person pays the

2-11 fees for personalized prestige license plates in addition to the fees for the

special license plate.

2-12 4. If, during a registration year, the holder of license plates issued

2-13 pursuant to this section disposes of the vehicle to which the plates are

affixed, the holder may retain the plates and:

2-14 (a) Affix the plates to another vehicle that meets the requirements of

this section if the transfer and registration fees are paid as set out in this

2-15 chapter; or

2-16 (b) Within 30 days after removing the plates from the vehicle, return

the plates to the department.

2-17 Sec. 3. 1. If a special license plate is designed, prepared and issued

pursuant to section 2 of this act to generate financial support for a

2-18 particular cause or charitable organization, the department may charge a

2-19 fee for the initial issuance or renewal, or both, of a set of such special

license plates in addition to the fees authorized pursuant to subsection 3

2-20 of NRS 482.265 and all other applicable registration and license fees and

motor vehicle privilege taxes.

2-21 2. The department shall deposit the fees collected pursuant to

2-22 subsection 1 with the state treasurer for credit to an account created in

the state general fund for the benefit of the particular cause or charitable

2-23 organization for whose financial support the special license plate was

created. The department shall designate an appropriate state agency to

2-24 administer the account.

2-25 3. Money in an account created pursuant to subsection 2 does not

lapse to the state general fund at the end of a fiscal year. The interest and

income earned on money in such an account, after deducting any

3-1 applicable charges, must be credited to the account.

3-2 Sec. 4. NRS 482.216 is hereby amended to read as follows:

482.216 1. Upon the request of a new vehicle dealer, the department

3-3 may authorize the new vehicle dealer to:

(a) Accept applications for the registration of the new motor vehicles he

3-4 sells and the related fees and taxes;

3-5 (b) Issue certificates of registration to applicants who satisfy the

requirements of this chapter; and

3-6 (c) Accept applications for the transfer of registration pursuant to NRS

482.399 if the applicant purchased from the new vehicle dealer a new

3-7 vehicle to which the registration is to be transferred.

3-8 2. A new vehicle dealer who is authorized to issue certificates of

registration pursuant to subsection 1 shall:

3-9 (a) Transmit the applications he receives to the department within the

period prescribed by the department;

3-10 (b) Transmit the fees he collects from the applicants and properly

3-11 account for them within the period prescribed by the department;

(c) Comply with the regulations adopted pursuant to subsection 4; and

3-12 (d) Bear any cost of equipment which is necessary to issue certificates of

registration, including any computer hardware or software.

3-13 3. A new vehicle dealer who is authorized to issue certificates of

3-14 registration pursuant to subsection 1 shall not:

(a) Charge any additional fee for the performance of those services;

3-15 (b) Receive compensation from the department for the performance of

those services;

3-16 (c) Accept applications for the renewal of registration of a motor

3-17 vehicle; or

(d) Accept an application for the registration of a motor vehicle if the

3-18 applicant wishes to:

(1) Obtain special license plates pursuant to NRS 482.3667 to

3-19 482.3825, inclusive [;] , and sections 2 and 3 of this act; or

3-20 (2) Claim the exemption from the vehicle privilege tax provided

pursuant to NRS 361.1565 to veterans and their relations.

3-21 4. The director shall adopt such regulations as are necessary to carry

out the provisions of this section. The regulations adopted pursuant to this

3-22 subsection must provide for:

3-23 (a) The expedient and secure issuance of license plates and decals by the

department; and

(b) The withdrawal of the authority granted to a new vehicle dealer

4-1 pursuant to subsection 1 if that dealer fails to comply with the regulations

4-2 adopted by the department.

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