S*1394 Session 108 (1989-1990)
S*1394(Rat #0731, Act #0591 of 1990) General Bill, By I.E. Lourie
A Bill to amend Section 56-3-1230, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
relating to specifications of license plates, so as to provide intervals for
issuing special license plates and revalidation of the special plates; to
amend Section 56-3-2150, relating to issuance of special license plates, so as
to include county coroners on the list of persons to whom plates are issued;
to amend Section 56-3-2170, relating to the return of special license plates,
so as to provide conditions for the return of the special county coroner
license plates; to amend Section 56-3-3710, relating to the issuance of
special license plates bearing an emblem, seal, or other symbol of a college
or university located in this State, so as to include public colleges or
universities or independent institutions of higher education, require the
public college, university, or independent institution of higher education to
submit a symbol, increase the fees, and provide for the distribution of the
fee to alumni associations; to add Article 40 to Chapter 3 of Title 56, so as
to provide for the issuance of a commemorative "Keep South Carolina Beautiful"
license plate and provide for the beautification of roads and highways with
the fees collected; and to add Article 55 to Chapter 3 of Title 56 so as to
provide for the issuance of special license plates for Pearl Harbor survivors
and fees.-amended title
03/14/90 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-2
03/14/90 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-2
04/26/90 Senate Recalled from Committee on Transportation SJ-10
04/26/90 Senate Amended SJ-11
04/26/90 Senate Read second time SJ-12
04/26/90 Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
legislative day SJ-12
04/27/90 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-17
05/01/90 House Introduced and read first time HJ-9
05/01/90 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public
Works HJ-9
05/31/90 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Education and Public Works HJ-27
06/05/90 House Debate interrupted HJ-31
06/05/90 House Amended HJ-40
06/05/90 House Read second time HJ-41
06/06/90 House Read third time and returned to Senate with
amendments HJ-61
06/07/90 Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-52
06/19/90 Ratified R 731
06/25/90 Signed By Governor
06/25/90 Effective date 06/25/90
06/25/90 Act No. 591
07/16/90 Copies available
(A591, R731, S1394)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-1230, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
1976, RELATING TO SPECIFICATIONS OF LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE
INTERVALS FOR ISSUING SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES AND REVALIDATION OF THE
SPECIAL PLATES; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-2150, RELATING TO ISSUANCE OF
SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO INCLUDE COUNTY CORONERS ON THE LIST
OF PERSONS TO WHOM PLATES ARE ISSUED; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-2170,
RELATING TO THE RETURN OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE
CONDITIONS FOR THE RETURN OF THE SPECIAL COUNTY CORONER LICENSE
PLATES; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-3710, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF
SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES BEARING AN EMBLEM, SEAL, OR OTHER SYMBOL OF A
COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY LOCATED IN THIS STATE, SO AS TO INCLUDE PUBLIC
COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION, REQUIRE THE PUBLIC COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, OR INDEPENDENT
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO SUBMIT A SYMBOL, INCREASE THE FEES,
AND PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FEE TO ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS; TO
ADD ARTICLE 40 TO CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 56, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF A COMMEMORATIVE "KEEP SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUTIFUL"
LICENSE PLATE AND PROVIDE FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF ROADS AND HIGHWAYS
WITH THE FEES COLLECTED; AND TO ADD ARTICLE 55 TO CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE
56 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR
PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS AND FEES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Specifications of license plates
SECTION 1. Section 56-3-1230 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-1230. License plates must be at least six
inches wide and not less than twelve inches in length and must show in
bold characters the year of registration, serial number, and either
the full name or the abbreviation of the name of the State and other
distinctive markings as the department may consider advisable to
indicate the class of the weight of the vehicle for which the license
plate was issued. The plate must be of a strength and quality to
provide a minimum service period of five years. A new license plate
including personalized and special plates must be provided by the
department at intervals the department considers appropriate but at
least every six years. License plates issued for vehicles in excess
of twenty-six thousand pounds must be issued annually and no
revalidation sticker may be issued for the plates.
The face of the license plate must be treated completely with a
retroreflective material which increases the nighttime visibility and
legibility of the plate. The department shall prepare the
specifications for the retroreflective material. In those years in
which a metal plate is not issued, a revalidation sticker with a
distinctive serial number or other suitable means prescribed by the
department must be issued and affixed in the space provided on the
license plate assigned to the vehicle upon payment of the fee
prescribed for registration and licensing, including fees for
personalized or special license plates."
Issuance of special plates to county coroners
SECTION 2. Section 56-3-2150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-2150. The Department of Highways and Public
Transportation may issue special motor vehicle license plates to
members of municipal and county councils and to county coroners of
this State for private motor vehicles registered in their names. The
annual fee for these special license plates is the same as the fee
provided for in Section 56-3-2020 and only one plate may be issued to
any one councilman or coroner. The plate must be issued or
revalidated annually for the regular registration and licensing
year."
Return of special plates
SECTION 3. Section 56-3-2170 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-2170. The license plate issued pursuant to
this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight
class owned by the same person upon application being made to and
approved by the department. It is unlawful for any person to whom
such a plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on
any vehicle except the one authorized by the department. If a holder
of such a plate ceases to be a member of the municipal or county
council or ceases to be county coroner he shall immediately return the
plate to the department."
Issuance of plates bearing symbol of public college, university, or
independent institution of higher learning
SECTION 4. Section 56-3-3710 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by
Part II, Section 16, Act 170 of 1987, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-3-3710. (A) The Department of Highways and
Public Transportation may issue special motor vehicle license plates
to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light
pickups having an empty weight of five thousand pounds or less and a
gross weight of eight thousand pounds or less registered in their
names which may have imprinted on the plate any emblem, seal, or other
symbol the department considers appropriate of a public college or
university, or independent institution of higher learning defined in
Section 59-113-50, located in this State. A school may submit to the
department for its approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it
desires to be used for its respective special license plate. A school
also may request a change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol not
more than once every five years. The fee for this special license
plate is thirty-five dollars each year which is in addition to the
regular motor vehicle registration fee as set forth in Article 5,
Chapter 3 of this title. This special license plate must be of the
same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates.
The special license plates must be issued or revalidated for an annual
period which expires twelve months from the month they are issued.
(B) The fees collected pursuant to this section must be
distributed to a separate fund for each of the respective colleges,
universities, or independent institutions of higher learning. Each
fund must be administered by the school and must be used only for
academic scholarships. Funds collected for state colleges and
universities must be deposited with the State Treasurer. Funds
collected for independent institutions must be deposited in an account
designated by the respective school. The distribution is based on the
total number of special license plates sold and on the number sold for
the respective school as follows:
(1) one thousand or less total special license plates
sold: twenty-six dollars to the department and nine dollars to the
school for each special license plate sold for the respective school;
(2) more than one thousand and less than two thousand
total special license plates sold: twenty-one dollars to the
department and fourteen dollars to the school for each special license
plate sold for the respective school;
(3) two thousand or more total special license plates
sold: fifteen dollars to the department and twenty dollars to the
school for each special license plate sold for the respective school.
(C) The department must receive one hundred or more applications
requesting a special license plate for a school before a specialized
license plate may be developed for that school."
Special commemorative license plates
SECTION 5. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by
adding:
"Article 40
Special Commemorative License Plates
Section 56-3-3950. The department may issue a special
commemorative `Keep South Carolina Beautiful' motor vehicle license
plate to establish a special fund to be used by the department for the
purposes of beautifying the state's roads and highways. The
department, in implementing this program, may not expend
beautification funds for wildflowers without prior approval of the
South Carolina Department of Agriculture. The Department of
Agriculture shall ensure, before granting approval, that the varieties
of wildflowers used in beautification are not harmful to agriculture
at or near a proposed project. The annual fee for the commemorative
license plate is twenty-seven dollars each year and of this amount
twelve dollars of this fee must be placed in a special `Keep South
Carolina Beautiful' fund. This annual fee is in addition to the
regular motor vehicle registration fee as set forth in Article 5,
Chapter 7 of this title. The commemorative plate must be of the same
size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates and
must be imprinted with the words `Keep South Carolina Beautiful'. The
plates must be issued or revalidated for an annual period which
expires twelve months from the month they are issued.
Section 56-3-3960. A special license plate issued pursuant to
this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight
class owned by the same person upon application being made and
approved by the department. It is unlawful for any person to whom
such a commemorative license plate has been issued knowingly to permit
the plate to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by
the department.
Section 56-3-3970. The provisions of this article do not
affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by
other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative thereto."
Issuance of special plates for Pearl Harbor survivors
SECTION 6. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by
adding:
"Article 55
Pearl Harbor Survivors' License Plates
Section 56-3-5910. An owner of a motor vehicle who is a
resident of this State may apply for a motor vehicle license plate
under this article if he:
(1) was a member of the United States Armed Forces on December
7, 1941;
(2) was on station on December 7, 1941, during the hours of 7:55
a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Hawaii time at Pearl Harbor, the Island of Oahu, or
offshore at a distance not exceeding three miles; and
(3) received an honorable discharge from the United States Armed
Forces.
Section 56-3-5920. The Department of Highways and Public
Transportation shall design a Pearl Harbor survivor license plate for
motor vehicles. The license plates issued pursuant to this article
must be numbered consecutively and contain the words `Pearl Harbor
Survivor'.
Section 56-3-5930. (A) An applicant must be issued a Pearl Harbor
survivor license plate for his private motor vehicle, used for
personal conveyance and not for commercial purposes, upon submitting
proof of eligibility and complying with the state motor vehicle laws
relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and payment
of the regular license fee for license plates as prescribed by law
plus, for the initial issuance, an additional fee of fifteen dollars.
(B) All applications for Pearl Harbor survivor license plates
must be verified by the South Carolina State Chairman of Pearl Harbor
Survivors.
Section 56-3-5940. In those years in which a metal plate is not
issued, for a license plate authorized by this article, a revalidation
sticker with a distinctive serial number or other suitable means
prescribed by the department must be issued and affixed in the space
provided on the license plate assigned to the vehicle upon payment of
the fee prescribed for registration and licensing.
Section 56-3-5950. Only one license plate may be issued to an
applicant, and the license plate is nontransferable."
Time effective
SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 25th day of June, 1990.
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