HOUSE BILL No. 5085

 

August 1, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Mayes and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 82105 and 82114 (MCL 324.82105 and 324.82114),

 

section 82105 as amended by 2005 PA 271 and section 82114 as added

 

by 1995 PA 58, and by adding sections 82105a, 82105b, and 82116a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 82105. (1) The owner of each snowmobile requiring

 

registration by this state before operation of the snowmobile in

 

this state shall file an application Before operating a snowmobile

 

requiring registration in this state, the owner shall apply for

 

registration with the department of state on forms provided by the

 

department of state. If the snowmobile was purchased from a retail

 

dealer in this state, application for initial registration shall be

 


made with the dealer at the point of sale. The dealer shall issue a

 

temporary registration permit in a form received from and approved

 

by the department of state that is valid for 15 days after the date

 

of sale. Each retail dealer shall submit applications for

 

registrations and fees to the department of state not less than

 

once each week. The owner of the snowmobile shall sign the

 

application and pay a fee of $22.00, which shall be submitted to

 

the department with the application. The application shall include

 

the new owner's name, signature, and bona fide residence address

 

and the names and addresses of holders of any security interest in

 

the snowmobile and its accessories in the order of priority. The

 

application shall be accompanied by a fee of $22.00. Upon receipt

 

of the application in approved form, the department of state shall

 

enter the application upon its records and issue to the applicant a

 

certificate of registration and decal. The certificate of

 

registration shall contain the number awarded to the snowmobile,

 

the name and address of the owner, the name and address of the

 

holders of secured interests, and other information the department

 

of state considers necessary. The certificate of registration shall

 

be pocket-size, shall accompany the vehicle, shall be legible, and

 

shall be made available for inspection upon demand by a peace

 

officer.

 

     (2) If the secretary of state is not satisfied as to the

 

ownership of a snowmobile that is worth more than $2,500.00, before

 

registering the snowmobile and issuing a certificate of

 

registration, the secretary of state may require the applicant to

 

file a properly executed surety bond in a form prescribed by the

 


secretary of state and executed by the applicant and a company

 

authorized to conduct a surety business in this state. The bond

 

shall be in an amount equal to twice the value of the snowmobile as

 

determined by the secretary of state and shall be conditioned to

 

indemnify or reimburse the secretary of state, any prior owner, and

 

any subsequent purchaser of the snowmobile and their successors in

 

interest against any expense, loss, or damage, including reasonable

 

attorney fees, incurred as a result of the issuance of a

 

certificate of registration for the snowmobile or any defect in the

 

right, title, or interest of the applicant in the snowmobile. An

 

interested person has a right of action to recover on the bond for

 

a breach of the conditions of the bond, but the aggregate liability

 

of the surety to all persons shall not exceed the amount of the

 

bond. The bond shall be returned at the end of 3 years, or before 3

 

years if the snowmobile is no longer registered in this state and

 

the currently current valid certificate of registration is

 

surrendered to the secretary of state, unless the secretary of

 

state has received notification of the pendency of an action to

 

recover on the bond. If the secretary of state is not satisfied as

 

to the ownership of a snowmobile that is worth $2,500.00 or less,

 

the secretary of state shall require the applicant to certify that

 

the applicant is the owner of the snowmobile and entitled to

 

register the snowmobile.

 

     (3) The owner of a snowmobile at the time application for a

 

certificate of registration is made shall be issued a certificate

 

of registration and a registration decal. The certificate of

 

registration and registration decal authorizes the operation of the

 


snowmobile for a 3-year period that begins on October 1 and expires

 

on September 30 of the third year. The certificate of registration

 

and registration decal may be renewed by payment of a fee of $22.00

 

beginning July 1 of the expiration year. The registration decal

 

shall be displayed as prescribed by rule promulgated by the

 

department of state.

 

     (4) The department of state may destroy a record of a

 

certificate of registration 5 7 years after expiration of the

 

certificate.

 

     Sec. 82105a. (1) If a check, draft, or electronic payment of a

 

required fee is not paid on its first presentation, the fee is

 

delinquent as of the date the check, draft, or electronic payment

 

was tendered. The person tendering the check, draft, or electronic

 

payment remains liable for the payment of each fee and any penalty.

 

     (2) The department of state may suspend the operator's or

 

chauffeur's license issued under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA

 

300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, of the person tendering the check,

 

draft, or electronic payment for a snowmobile registration if the

 

department of state determines a fee prescribed in this section has

 

not been paid and remains unpaid after reasonable notice or demand.

 

     (3) If a fee is delinquent 15 days after the department of

 

state has given notice to a person who tendered the check, draft,

 

or electronic payment, a $25.00 penalty shall be assessed and

 

collected in addition to the fee.

 

     (4) Except as otherwise provided in this part, the

 

registration fees and penalties collected under this section shall

 

be deposited in the general fund and used first to defray the

 


administrative costs of the department of state required by the

 

registration provisions of this part. Any money not required for

 

administration of the registration provisions of this part shall be

 

credited each year to the recreational snowmobile trail improvement

 

fund.

 

     Sec. 82105b. The department of state may cancel, suspend,

 

revoke, or refuse to issue a snowmobile registration if any of the

 

following occur:

 

     (a) The applicant has failed to furnish all required

 

information or reasonable additional information requested by the

 

department of state.

 

     (b) The required fees have not been paid.

 

     (c) The applicant is not entitled to a snowmobile registration

 

under this part.

 

     (d) The department of state issued the registration in error.

 

     (e) The application contains a false or fraudulent statement.

 

     (f) The department of state has reasonable grounds to believe

 

that the snowmobile was stolen or embezzled.

 

     Sec. 82114. (1) The owner of a snowmobile shall notify the

 

department of state within 15 days if the snowmobile is destroyed

 

or abandoned, or is sold, or an interest in the snowmobile is

 

transferred either wholly or in part to another person, or if the

 

owner's address no longer conforms to the address appearing on the

 

certificate of registration. The notice shall consist of a

 

surrender of the certificate of registration on which the proper

 

information shall be noted on a place to be provided. If the

 

surrender of the certificate of registration is by reason of the

 


snowmobile being destroyed or abandoned, the department of state

 

shall cancel the certificate of registration and enter that fact in

 

the records of the department of state, and the number may be then

 

reassigned. The department of state may destroy the record of a

 

surrendered certificate of registration 1 year 10 years after its

 

surrender.

 

     (2) If the surrender of the certificate of registration is by

 

reason of a change of address on the part of the owner, the new

 

address shall be recorded by the department of state and a

 

certificate of registration bearing that information shall be

 

returned to the owner.

 

     (3) The transferee of a snowmobile registered under this part,

 

within 15 days after acquiring the snowmobile, shall apply to the

 

department of state for issuance of a new certificate of

 

registration for the snowmobile, giving his or her name, address,

 

and the previous registration number of the snowmobile and pay to

 

the department of state proof of payment or satisfaction of any

 

security interest shown on the previous owner's certificate of

 

registration or department of state's records. The application

 

shall include the new owner's name, signature, and bona fide

 

residence address and the names and addresses of the holders of

 

security interests in the snowmobile and its accessories in the

 

order of their priority, and shall be accompanied by the fee

 

prescribed in section 82105. Upon receipt of the application and

 

fee, the department of state shall issue a new certificate of

 

registration for the snowmobile to the new owner. Unless the

 

application is made and the fee paid within 15 days of transfer of

 


ownership, the snowmobile is without certificate of registration,

 

and a person shall not operate the snowmobile until a valid

 

certificate of registration is issued.

 

     (4) If a certificate of registration is lost, mutilated, or

 

illegible, the owner of the snowmobile shall obtain a duplicate of

 

the certificate of registration upon application and payment of a

 

fee of $5.00.

 

     (5) If a valid registration decal is lost, mutilated, or

 

illegible, the owner of the snowmobile may obtain a replacement

 

registration decal upon submission of proof of registration and

 

payment of a fee of $5.00.

 

     Sec. 82116a. (1) The owner of a snowmobile whose vehicle

 

number has been altered, removed, or defaced, including the owner

 

of a snowmobile who intends to register the snowmobile as an

 

assembled snowmobile, shall apply, in a form prescribed by the

 

department of state, to the department of state for a special

 

identifying number accompanied by an application for a certificate

 

of registration and the required fees. The owner shall furnish

 

information satisfying the department of state that he or she is

 

the owner, upon receipt of which the department of state shall

 

assign a special identifying number for the snowmobile, preceded by

 

a symbol indicating this state. The department of state shall

 

maintain a record of assigned special identifying numbers. The

 

special identifying number shall be applied to the snowmobile as

 

directed by the department of state. The special number shall be

 

regarded as the identifying number of the snowmobile.

 

     (2) The owner of a snowmobile whose vehicle number is missing

 


shall apply, in a form prescribed by the department of state, to

 

the department of state for a replacement vehicle number

 

accompanied by a $10.00 fee. The owner shall furnish information

 

satisfying the department of state that he or she is the owner of

 

the snowmobile upon receipt of which the department of state shall

 

assign a replacement vehicle number that shall be applied to the

 

snowmobile as directed by the department of state. The department

 

of state shall note on the registration record for that snowmobile

 

that a replacement vehicle number was issued for that snowmobile.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect July 1,

 

2009.