H 3602 Session 110 (1993-1994)
H 3602 General Bill, By Gamble, McCraw, Phillips and Spearman
A Bill to amend Section 56-3-1230, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
relating to license plates, so as to provide that the Department of Highways
and Public Transportation shall issue two license plates for motor vehicles
registered and licensed on and after January 1, 1994, and thereafter shall
issue two license plates or two validation stickers as appropriate for these
vehicles; to amend Section 56-3-1240, as amended, relating to display of motor
vehicle license plates, so as to require license plates to be attached to
front and rear of the motor vehicle on and after January 1, 1994, and to
repeal Article 37, Chapter 5, Title 56, relating to the inspection of
vehicles.
03/03/93 House Introduced and read first time HJ-10
03/03/93 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public
Works HJ-10
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-1230, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO
PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHALL ISSUE TWO LICENSE
PLATES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED AND LICENSED
ON AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 1994, AND THEREAFTER SHALL
ISSUE TWO LICENSE PLATES OR TWO VALIDATION STICKERS
AS APPROPRIATE FOR THESE VEHICLES; TO AMEND SECTION
56-3-1240, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DISPLAY OF MOTOR
VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO REQUIRE LICENSE
PLATES TO BE ATTACHED TO FRONT AND REAR OF THE
MOTOR VEHICLE ON AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 1994, AND TO
REPEAL ARTICLE 37, CHAPTER 5, TITLE 56, RELATING TO THE
INSPECTION OF VEHICLES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 56-3-1230 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-1230. License plates must be at least six inches
wide and not less than twelve inches in length and must show in bold
characters the year of registration, serial number, and either the full
name or the abbreviation of the name of the State and other distinctive
markings as the department may consider advisable to indicate the class
of the weight of the vehicle for which the license plate was issued. The
plate must be of a strength and quality to provide a minimum service
period of five years. A new license plate including personalized and
special plates must be provided by the department at intervals the
department considers appropriate but at least every six years. License
plates issued for vehicles in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds must
be issued annually and no revalidation sticker may be issued for the
plates.
The face of the license plate must be treated completely with a
retroreflective material which increases the nighttime visibility and
legibility of the plate. The department shall prepare the specifications for
the retroreflective material. In those years in which a metal plate is not
issued, a revalidation sticker with a distinctive serial number or other
suitable means prescribed by the department must be issued and affixed
in the space provided on the license plate assigned to the vehicle upon
payment of the fee prescribed for registration and licensing, including
fees for personalized or special license plates.
Notwithstanding the above provisions of this section, the
department shall issue two license plates for motor vehicles registered
and licensed on and after January 1, 1994, and thereafter shall issue two
license plates or two validation stickers as appropriate for these vehicles."
SECTION 2. Section 56-3-1240 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act
46 of 1991, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-3-1240. License plates issued for motor vehicles
must be attached to the outside front and rear of the vehicle,
open to view, except that on truck tractors and road tractors the
plates only one plate must be issued and it must be attached
to the outside front of the vehicle. Every license plate, at all times, must
be fastened securely in a horizontal and upright position to the vehicle
for which it was issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging. The
bottom of the plate must be at a height of not less than twelve inches
from the ground in a place and position clearly visible as provided in
Section 56-5-4530, and it must be maintained free from foreign materials
and in a clearly legible condition. No other license plate, lighting
equipment, except as permitted in Section 56-5-4350, tag, sign,
monogram, tinted cover, or inscription of metal or other material may
be displayed above, around, or upon the plate other than that which is
authorized and issued by the department for the purpose of validating the
plate. It is not unlawful to place a decal on the license plate if it does not
obscure any letters or numbers. A motor vehicle owner may attach a
trailer hitch to a motor vehicle provided the hitch does not obscure more
than two inches of the license plate issued to the motor vehicle. It is
unlawful to operate or drive a motor vehicle with the license plate
missing and a person who is convicted for violating this section must
be punished as provided by Section 56-3-2520."
SECTION 3. Article 37, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is
repealed.
SECTION 4. The amendment to Section 56-3-1240 of the 1976 Code,
contained in Section 2 of this act, is effective on and after January 1,
1994.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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