S 0196 General Bill, By Hembree
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MOTOR
 VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, BY ADDING ARTICLE 140, TO PROVIDE THAT THE
 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE LEGION OF MERIT SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

   12/13/16  Senate Prefiled
   12/13/16  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
   01/10/17  Senate Introduced and read first time
                     (Senate Journal-page 103)
   01/10/17  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
                     (Senate Journal-page 103)

TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, BY ADDING ARTICLE 140, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE LEGION OF MERIT SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

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 140

Section 56-3-14010.    (A)    The department may issue a 'Legion of Merit' special motor vehicle license plate for use on a private passenger motor vehicle or motorcycle registered in a person's name in this State who is a recipient of the Legion of Merit award. An application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include official documentation showing the applicant is a recipient of the Legion of Merit award.

(B)    The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The department shall imprint on the special license plates 'Legion of Merit' and the corresponding Legion of Merit medal.

(C)    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 to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department.

(D)    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 any 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 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    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.