A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-240, RELATING TO APPLICATIONS FOR VEHICLE LICENSING AND REGISTRATION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT VEHICLE OWNERS' SOUTH CAROLINA DRIVER'S LICENSE INFORMATION BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-350, RELATING TO GROUNDS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO REFUSE TO REGISTER AND LICENSE A VEHICLE, SO AS TO ADD TO THE GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL APPLICANTS' LACK OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP OR CURRENT AUTHORIZATION TO LIVE, WORK, OR STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 56-3-240 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 56-3-240.  Every such application shall contain:

    (1) The name, bona fide residence and mail address of the owner or business address of the owner if a firm, association or corporation, and the county, municipality, if applicable, and school district in which the applicant resides, and the owner's South Carolina driver's license information;

    (2) A description of the vehicle including insofar as such data may exist with respect to a given vehicle, the make, model, type of body, number of cylinders, serial number and engine or other number of the vehicle, whether the vehicle is new or used and the date of sale by the manufacturer or dealer to the person intending to operate such a vehicle and, in the event a vehicle is designed, constructed, converted or rebuilt for the transportation of property, a statement of the load capacity for which it is to be registered;

    (3) Such further information as may reasonably be required by the Department of Motor Vehicles to enable it to determine whether the vehicle is lawfully entitled to registration and licensing;

    (4) In addition to the information required by item (2), whenever the application is for a motor vehicle which has been transferred from a previous registrant to the applicant, the applicant will complete the odometer disclosure statement on the application which shall be in compliance with federal guidelines and as prescribed by the department.

    (5) In addition to other registration requirements the department shall collect a federal employer identification number or social security number when a vehicle is registered with a gross vehicle weight of more than twenty-six thousand pounds or as a bus common carrier.

    Additionally, for a commercial motor vehicle with a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand pounds that operates with an apportioned license plate, the department may determine the manner, including the standard for measuring distance, such as miles or kilometers, application process, and filing deadlines for applications under the International Registration Plan, and must be provided:

       (a) the United States Department of Transportation Number of the motor carrier responsible for safety, as defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; and

       (b) a current MCS 150 form for the motor carrier responsible for safety, as defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This form also must be on file with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Except where the International Registration Plan permits an applicant to use average per-vehicle distance, an application may contain the actual distance that the fleet being registered was operated during the report period. In accordance with the International Registration Plan, if the fleet did not accrue any actual distance during the reporting period, an applicant may use average per-vehicle distance. The expiration date of apportioned registration for all apportioned vehicles in a fleet must be the same date.

 

SECTION 2.  Section 56-3-350 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 56-3-350.  The Department of Motor Vehicles shall refuse to register and license or transfer registration upon one or more of the following grounds:

    (1) The application contains a false or fraudulent statement or the applicant has not furnished required information or reasonable additional information requested by the department.

    (2) The vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated or moved upon the highways.

    (3) The department has reasonable ground to believe the vehicle is stolen or the registration and licensing or transfer is a fraud against the rightful owner of the vehicle.

    (4) The registration and license of the vehicle is canceled, suspended, or revoked as provided in this chapter or other motor vehicle laws of this State.

    (5) The required fee has not been paid.

    (6) For a vehicle purchased outside this State, satisfactory evidence of payment of the South Carolina use tax has not been presented.

    (7) The applicant is not a United States citizen or a person currently authorized by the United States Department of Justice, the United States Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Department of State to live, work, or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis.

 

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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