LICENSE PLATE EXPIRATION & PRINTING                                                H.B. 4633 (H-4):

                                                                                                      FLOOR SUMMARY

House Bill 4633 (Substitute H-4 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Wayne Schmidt

House Committee:  Transportation and Infrastructure

Senate Committee:  Transportation

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following: 1) provide an expiration date for license plates; and 2) require the Secretary of State to report on the viability of producing registration plates through digital printing.

Specifically, beginning January 1, 2015, a vehicle registration plate would be ineligible for renewal 10 years after it was issued.  A vehicle owner with a registration plate that was ineligible for renewal would have to get a replacement upon paying the fee required under Section 804.  (That section requires an applicant for a duplicate or replacement plate to pay a service fee, which is typically $5, in addition to any other fee required under the Code.)

At the request of the vehicle owner, the Department of State could issue a new registration plate with the same registration number as on the expired plate, if the Department had retired the alphanumeric series.  The Department could issue the new registration plate as provided under Section 803b of the Code (which governs personalized registration plates).   

The Secretary of State would have to prepare a report analyzing the viability of moving from the current registration plate production process to a digital printing process.  By December 31, 2013, the Secretary of State would have to submit the report to the standing committees of the Senate and House of Representatives with primary responsibility for transportation issues.

The bill would take effect on December 1, 2013.

MCL 257.224                                                             Legislative Analyst:  Glenn Steffens

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State as the Department has indicated that any costs of reissuing a plate that was at least 10 years old would be covered through the fees charged under Section 804.

The bill would have no fiscal impact on local units of government.

Date Completed:  10-23-13                                                  Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.