S 1249 General Bill, By Giese
 A Bill to amend Chapter 3, Title 56, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to motor vehicle registration and licensing, by adding Article 77 so
 as to provide for the issuance of Coastal Improvement Fund license plates and
 to provide penalties for persons who violate this Article.

   03/13/96  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   03/13/96  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-6

A BILL

TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, BY ADDING ARTICLE 77 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF COASTAL IMPROVEMENT FUND LICENSE PLATES AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR PERSONS WHO VIOLATE THIS ARTICLE.

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:

"Article 77

Section 56-3-7900. (A) The Department of Revenue and Taxation may issue Coastal Improvement Fund license plates to residents of the State for private motor vehicles registered in their names. The license plates must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates and imprinted with words together with a design, seal, or other symbol submitted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management to the Department of Revenue and Taxation for approval. The Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management may request a change in the design, seal, or other symbol not more than once every five years. The plates are for a biennial period. The fee for this special license plate is thirty-five dollars biennially which is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee as provided for in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title.

(B) The fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited in a separate fund with the State Treasurer. The fund must be administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and must be used only for coastal improvement projects including coastal access, land acquisition, and projects which serve to restore and protect the state's coastal resources. The distribution of the funds is based on the total number of special license plates sold as follows:

(1) one thousand or less total special license plates sold: twenty-six dollars to the Department of Revenue and Taxation and nine dollars to the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management for each special license plate sold;

(2) more than one thousand and less than two thousand total special license plates sold: twenty-one dollars to the Department of Revenue and Taxation and fourteen dollars to the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management for each special license plate sold;

(3) two thousand or more total special license plates sold: fifteen dollars to the Department of Revenue and Taxation and twenty dollars to the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management for each special license plate sold.

(C) The Department of Revenue and Taxation must receive one hundred or more applications requesting a special license plate under this article before a special license plate may be developed.

Section 56-3-7910. 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 and approved by the department. It is unlawful for a person to whom the special plate has been issued knowingly to permit it to be displayed on a vehicle except the one authorized by the department.

Section 56-3-7920. 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 them. A person who violates the provisions of 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."

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