AN ACT

 

1Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2Statutes, further providing for special registration plates
3generally and for personal registration plates; providing for
4Appalachian Trail organization registration plates; and
5making editorial changes.

6The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7hereby enacts as follows:

8Section 1. Sections 1333(b.1) and 1341 of Title 75 of the
9Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

10§ 1333. Lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate.

11* * *

12(b.1) Illegible registration plate.--The department may
13reissue a registration plate upon request by a registrant when
14it is determined by an authorized representative of the
15department or law enforcement that the registration plate is
16illegible from a reasonable distance. The department may select
17the style of the reissued registration plate and, except in the
18case of personal registration plates issued under section 1341

1(relating to special registration plates [generally]), the
2registration plate number.

3* * *

4§ 1341. Special registration plates [generally].

5(a) General rule.--Upon request by the applicant, the
6department may issue registration plates consisting of any
7combination of numbers, letters or numbers and letters. [These
8special plates may be issued for special groups or for special
9purposes and bear an appropriate designation. Special groups may
10charge a fee for authorization to request a registration plate
11bearing the name of the group.] They shall have the same force
12and effect as regular registration plates. The department may
13refuse any combination of letters and numbers for cause and
14shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the issuance of
15the plates and for carrying out the provisions of this section.
16The applicant shall comply with all laws and regulations
17pertaining to registration including the payment of any
18additional fees.

19(b) Personal registration plates.--Upon request by the 
20applicant, the department is authorized to issue personal 
21registration plates. The department is authorized to reissue a
22combination of numbers or letters for a personal plate if the
23department records reveal that no activity, such as renewal or
24transfer of the personal registration plate, has occurred for a
25period of five or more consecutive years and provided that the
26personal registration plate was never reported as lost or
27stolen. Whenever the department reissues an inactive personal
28plate, the department may purge its records of all references to
29the previous owners of that personal plate. The department
30shall, however, note upon its records the reissuance of the

1personal plate and to whom the plate was issued. [The special] A 
2personal registration plate may be used only on a passenger car 
3[or], motorcycle, truck with a registered gross weight of not
4more than [10,000] 14,000 pounds, trailer or motor home.

5(c) Organization registration plates.--Upon request by the 
6applicant, the department is authorized to issue organization 
7registration plates. Organization registration plates may be 
8issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an 
9appropriate designation. Special groups may charge a fee for 
10authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name 
11of the group. If the vehicle is licensed to a business that is
12not a member of the special group, the department shall issue
13the plate as long as the business owner or officer making
14application is a member of that group. An organization 
15registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck 
16with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or 
17a motor home.

18Section 2. Title 75 is amended by adding sections to read:

19§ 1341.1 Personal organization registration plates.

20(a) General rule.--The department may, upon application of
21any person and upon payment of the additional fee under this
22section, issue a personal organization registration plate to
23applicants for special registration plates authorized in this
24chapter.

25(b) Additional fee.--

26(1) The department shall collect an additional fee of up
27to $300 for any personal special registration plate or
28personal organization registration plates issued under
29subsection (a).

30(2) For any personal plate issued under sections 1338

1(relating to person with disability plate and placard) and
21342 (relating to veteran plates and placard), the department
3shall collect only an additional fee of $50.

4§ 1352.1. Appalachian Trail organization registration plates.

5The department, in consultation with the Appalachian Trail
6Conservancy, shall design a special Appalachian Trail
7organization registration plate. The plate, at a minimum, shall
8contain the image of a hiker and the Appalachian Trail
9Conservancy logo and distinctive coloring. Upon application of
10any person, accompanied by the appropriate fee, the department
11shall issue the plate for a passenger car or truck with a
12registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or a
13motor home.

14Section 3. Sections 1786(h)(2) and 1931 of Title 75 are
15amended to read:

16§ 1786. Required financial responsibility.

17* * *

18(h) Reinstatement of voluntarily surrendered registration
19plate and card.--

20* * *

21(2) Any registration plate issued under sections 1340
22(relating to antique and classic plates) and 1341 (relating
23to [personal plate] special registration plates) shall be
24returned by the department to the owner of the motor vehicle
25upon receipt of proof of financial responsibility.

26* * *

27§ 1931. [Personal] Special registration plates.

28The fee for issuance of a [personal] special registration 
29plate shall be $20 which shall be in addition to the annual 
30registration fee. Only one payment of the issuance fee shall be 

1charged for each [personal] special registration issued or 
2replaced.

3Section 4. This act shall take effect in 120 days.