S 1044 General Bill, By Bryan and M.T. Rose
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 47
 to Chapter 3, Title 56 so as to provide for special license plates for members
 of the South Carolina State Guard, including provisions which set an annual
 fee and which make it unlawful knowingly to permit the license plate to be
 displayed on a vehicle other than the one authorized by the Department of
 Highways and Public Transportation.

   09/23/91  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-16
   09/23/91  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-16

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 47 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE GUARD, INCLUDING PROVISIONS WHICH SET AN ANNUAL FEE AND WHICH MAKE IT UNLAWFUL KNOWINGLY TO PERMIT THE LICENSE PLATE TO BE DISPLAYED ON A VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ONE AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

Section 56-3-4710. The Department of Highways and Public Transportation may issue a special motor vehicle license plate to a member of the South Carolina State Guard who is a resident of the State for a private passenger motor vehicle or truck, having a rated capacity of one ton or less, registered in the member's name. The annual fee for the special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee plus the personalized license plate fee provided by Section 56-3-2020, and only one plate may be issued to a person. The revenue from the issuance of plates under this article must be deposited in the manner provided for under Section 56-3-2020. The department shall issue the license plate or the revalidation sticker upon receipt of an application made under oath and in the form required by the department. A person who is issued a license plate under the provisions of this article is not required to reapply so long as that person owns the vehicle for which the plate is issued or is authorized pursuant to this article. The provisions of this article do not apply if the member applies for a special personalized motor vehicle license plate under the provisions of Section 56-3-2010.

Section 56-3-4720. The special license plate must be of the same size and general design as regular motor vehicle license plates. The department shall imprint the special license plates with the words `South Carolina State Guard' together with numbers the department may determine necessary or expedient. The licensing period for the plate is on an annual basis and expires twelve months from the month it is issued.

Section 56-3-4730. A 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 a person to whom the plate has been issued knowingly to permit it to be displayed on a vehicle except the one authorized by the department.

Section 56-3-4740. 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 to those other provisions. A person violating the provisions of this article or a person who: (1) fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in an application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (2) conceals a material fact, or (3) otherwise commits fraud in the application or in the use of a special license plate issued under this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.