S 0971 General Bill, By McConnell and Knotts
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY
 ADDING ARTICLE 101 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY
 ISSUE VETERANS' LICENSE PLATES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND
 WERE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.

   01/09/08  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   01/09/08  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-6
   03/18/08  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Transportation SJ-14
   03/19/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/19/08  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-49
   03/19/08  Senate Read second time SJ-49
   03/20/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/20/08  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-7
   03/25/08  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-22
   03/25/08  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-22

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED

March 19, 2008

S. 971

S. Printed 3/19/08--S.    [SEC 3/20/08 11:54 AM]

Read the first time January 9, 2008.

TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 101 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE VETERANS' LICENSE PLATES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND WERE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.

Amend Title To Conform

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 101

Section 56-3-10040.    The department may issue a 'Veteran' special motor vehicle license plate for use on a private passenger-carrying motor vehicle or a motorcycle registered in such person's name in this State who served in the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard, including service in the Reserves of any of these military branches, and who was honorably discharged from service. An application for a special license plate must include official military documentation that shows the applicant was honorably discharged from service. Only two plates may be issued to a person.

Section 56-3-10050.    The special license plate must be of the same size and general design as a regular motor vehicle or motorcycle license plate. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint the special license plates with the word 'Veteran', with numbers the department may determine. The license plate must be for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued.

Section 56-3-10060.    A license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle or motorcycle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made and being approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful for any person to whom the plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle or motorcycle except the one authorized by the department.

Section 56-3-10070.    The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles or motorcycles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative to those other provisions. Any person violating the provisions of this article or any person who (a) fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in any application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (b) conceals a material fact, or (c) otherwise commits fraud in the application or in the use of any special license plate issued is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both.

Section 56-3-10080.    Fees for the special license plate shall be in accordance with Article 5 of Chapter 3, Title 56.

Section 56-3-10090.    Before the Department of Motor Vehicles produces and distributes a special license plate pursuant to this article, it must receive:

(1)    four hundred or more prepaid applications for the special license plate or four thousand dollars from the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate; and

(2)    a plan to market the sale of the plate approved by the department.

If the department receives less than three hundred biennial applications and renewals for the special license plate authorized by this article, it may not produce additional special license plates in this series. However, the department shall continue to issue special license plates of that series until the existing inventory is exhausted."

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