S 0649 General Bill, By Passailaigue
 A Bill to amend Chapter 3 of Title 56, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 by adding Article 36 so as to provide for the issuance of special license
 plates bearing an emblem, seal, or other symbol of a county or region of
 counties representing a certain geographical area of the State and to provide
 for the distribution of fees.

   04/07/93  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-5
   04/07/93  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-6
   04/21/94  Senate Committee report: Favorable Transportation SJ-29
   04/26/94  Senate Read second time SJ-53
   04/26/94  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-53
   04/27/94  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-39
   04/28/94  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-301
   04/28/94  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-301

April 21, 1994

S. 649

S. Printed 4/21/94--S.

Read the first time April 7, 1994.

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 649), to amend Chapter 3 of Title 56, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 36 so as to provide for the issuance of special license plates, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

JOHN C. LAND, III, for Committee.

A BILL

TO AMEND CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 56, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 36 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES BEARING AN EMBLEM, SEAL, OR OTHER SYMBOL OF A COUNTY OR REGION OF COUNTIES REPRESENTING A CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE STATE AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF FEES.

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 36

Section 56-3-3610. (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 for a county or a region of counties representing a certain geographical area of the State. The county council of a county or a region of counties representing a certain geographical area of the State 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. The county council of a county or a region of counties representing a certain geographical area of the State also may request a change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol not more than once every five years. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county choosing individual specialized county tags may by vote of each county council enter into an appropriate arrangement with other counties within the same region for the purchase of regional tags as herein provided. In no event may a county which has entered into an agreement for regional vehicle license tags maintain individual specialized county tags. 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 deposited with the State Treasurer and distributed to a separate fund for each of the respective governmental entities. Each fund must be administered by the governmental entities and must only be used for funding governmental functions. The distribution is based on the total number of special license plates sold and on the number sold for the respective governmental entity as follows:

(1) one thousand or less total special license plates sold: twenty-six dollars to the department and nine dollars to the governmental entity for each special license plate sold for the respective governmental entity;

(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 governmental entity for each special license plate sold for the respective governmental entity; and

(3) two thousand or more total special license plates sold: fifteen dollars to the department and twenty dollars to the governmental entity for each special license plate sold for the respective governmental entity.

(C) The department must receive fifty or more applications requesting a special license plate before a specialized license plate may be developed for that governmental entity.

Section 56-3-3620. 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 any person to whom the special plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department.

Section 56-3-3630. 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. Any person violating the provisions of this article 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."

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