South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

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A297, R350, S1050

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Verdin and Ryberg
Document Path: l:\s-res\dbv\011plat.dag.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 4051

Introduced in the Senate on January 30, 2008
Introduced in the House on February 5, 2008
Last Amended on May 22, 2008
Passed by the General Assembly on May 29, 2008
Became law without Governor's signature, June 12, 2008

Summary: Special license plates

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1/30/2008  Senate  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar without 
                        reference SJ-10
   1/31/2008  Senate  Read second time SJ-18
   1/31/2008  Senate  Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative 
                        day SJ-18
   1/31/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
    2/1/2008  Senate  Read third time and sent to House SJ-1
    2/5/2008  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-14
    2/5/2008  House   Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-14
   5/15/2008  House   Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and 
                        Public Works HJ-13
   5/16/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
   5/21/2008  House   Debate adjourned HJ-72
   5/22/2008  House   Amended HJ-47
   5/22/2008  House   Read second time HJ-59
   5/22/2008  House   Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative 
                        day HJ-59
   5/23/2008  House   Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments 
                        HJ-1
   5/23/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
   5/29/2008  Senate  Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-177
    6/5/2008          Ratified R 350
   6/12/2008          Became law without Governor's signature
   6/19/2008          Copies available
   6/19/2008          Effective date 06/12/08
   6/19/2008          Act No. 297

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/30/2008
1/30/2008-A
1/31/2008
5/15/2008
5/16/2008
5/22/2008
5/23/2008


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A297, R350, S1050)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLES 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, AND 107 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE, RESPECTIVELY, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE OPERATION DESERT STORM-DESERT SHIELD VETERAN SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM VETERAN SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM VETERAN SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, VETERAN LICENSE PLATES, "I BELIEVE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SILVER STAR SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, AND BRONZE STAR SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-8000, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO ISSUE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-3310, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF PURPLE HEART SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THERE IS NO FEE FOR THE LICENSE PLATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Special license plate

SECTION    1.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 101

Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield Veteran Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10110.    (A)    The department may issue 'Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield who served on active duty in the Persian Gulf at anytime during the period of August 2, 1990, to February 28, 1991. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty during Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.

(B)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.

(C)    The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."

Special license plate

SECTION    2.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 102

Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10210.    (A)    The department may issue 'Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom who served on active duty fighting against terrorism at anytime following September 11, 2001, until the operation is completed. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.

(B)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.

(C)    The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."

Special license plate

SECTION    3.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 103

Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10310.    (A)    The department may issue 'Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom who served on active duty in Iraq or the Persian Gulf at anytime from March 20, 2003, until the operation is completed. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.

(B)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.

(C)    The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."

Special license plate

SECTION    4.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 104

Veteran License Plates

Section 56-3-10410.    (A)    The department may issue a 'Veteran' 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 served in the United States Armed Forces, active or reserve components, and who was honorably discharged from service. An application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include official military documentation showing the applicant was honorably discharged from service. Only two plates may be issued to a person.

(B)    The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The biennial fee for this plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint the special license plates with the word 'Veteran', with numbers the department may determine.

(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 being approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. 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."

Special license plates

SECTION    5.    Section 56-3-8000(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 398 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"(A)    The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles registered in their names which may have imprinted on the plate an emblem, a seal, or other symbol the department considers appropriate of an organization which has obtained certification pursuant to either Section 501(C)(3), 501(C)(6), 501(C)(7), or 501(C)(8) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code and maintained this certification for a period of five years. The biennial fee for this special license plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title plus an additional fee to be requested by the individual or organization seeking issuance of the plate. The initial fee amount requested may be changed only every five years from the first year the plate is issued. Of the additional fee collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of producing and administering special license plates. Any of the remaining fee not placed in the restricted account must be distributed to an organization designated by the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued."

Special license plate

SECTION    6.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 105

'I Believe' Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10510.    The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'I Believe' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private motor vehicles registered in their names. The plate must contain the words 'I Believe' and a cross superimposed on a stained glass window. The biennial fee for this special license plate is the same as the fee provided in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The guidelines for the production of this special license plate must meet the requirements contained in Section 56-3-8100."

Special license plate

SECTION    7.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 106

Silver Star Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10610.    (A)    The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Silver Star' special license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who have been awarded the Silver Star. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that the owner received the Silver Star, along with the owner's application for this special license plate. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The license plates issued pursuant to this section must contain the words 'combat veteran' and an illustration of the Silver Star.

(B)    The production and issuance of this special license plate are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100."

Special license plate

SECTION    8.    Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 107

Bronze Star Special License Plates

Section 56-3-10710.    (A)    The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Bronze Star' special license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who have been awarded the Bronze Star. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that the owner received the Bronze Star, along with the owner's application for this special license plate. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The license plates issued pursuant to this section must contain the words 'combat veteran' and an illustration of the Bronze Star.

(B)    The production and issuance of this special license plate are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100."

Purple Heart license plates

SECTION    9.    Section 56-3-3310 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 53 of 2005, is further amended to read:

"Section 56-3-3310.    The department may issue a permanent special motor vehicle license plate to a recipient of the Purple Heart for use on a private passenger motor vehicle or motorcycle. There is no fee for the license plate, and not more than two license plates may be issued to a person. The application for a special plate must include proof the applicant is a recipient of the Purple Heart."

Time effective

SECTION    10.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 5th day of June, 2008.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/12/08.

__________


This web page was last updated on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 1:30 P.M.