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
4personal organization registration plates and for <-Appalachian
5Trail organization registration plates; and making editorial
6changes.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. Sections 1333(b.1) and 1341 of Title 75 of the
10Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

11§ 1333. Lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate.

12* * *

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

1case of personal registration plates issued under section 1341
2(relating to special registration plates [generally]), the
3registration plate number.

4* * *

5§ 1341. Special registration plates [generally].

6(a) General rule.--Upon request by the applicant, the
7department may issue registration plates consisting of any
8combination of numbers, letters or numbers and letters. [These
9special plates may be issued for special groups or for special
10purposes and bear an appropriate designation. Special groups may
11charge a fee for authorization to request a registration plate
12bearing the name of the group.] They shall have the same force
13and effect as regular registration plates. The department may
14refuse any combination of letters and numbers for cause and
15shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the issuance of
16the plates and for carrying out the provisions of this section.
17The applicant shall comply with all laws and regulations
18pertaining to registration including the payment of any
19additional fees.

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

1shall, however, note upon its records the reissuance of the
2personal plate and to whom the plate was issued. [The special] A 
3personal registration plate may be used only on a passenger car 
4[or], motorcycle, truck with a registered gross weight of not
5more than [10,000] 14,000 pounds, trailer or motor home.

6(c) Organization registration plates.--Upon request by the 
7applicant, the department is authorized to issue organization 
8registration plates. Organization registration plates may be 
9issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an 
10appropriate designation. Special groups may charge a fee for 
11authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name 
12of the group. If the vehicle is licensed to a business that is
13not a member of the special group, the department shall issue
14the plate as long as the business owner or officer making
15application is a member of that group. An organization 
16registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck 
17with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or 
18a motor home.

19Section 2. Title 75 is amended by adding sections to read:

20§ 1341.1 Personal organization registration plates.

21(a) General rule.--The department may, upon application of
22any person and upon payment of the additional fee under this
23section, issue a personal organization registration plate to
24applicants for special registration plates authorized in this
25chapter.

26(b) Additional fee.--

27(1) The department shall collect an additional fee of <-up
28to $300 for any personal special registration plate or <-$100
29for personal organization registration plates issued under
30subsection (a).

1(2) For any personal plate issued under sections 1338
2(relating to person with disability plate and placard) and
31342 (relating to veteran plates and placard), the department
4shall collect only an additional fee of $50.

5§ 1352.1. Appalachian Trail organization registration plates.

<-6(a) General rule.--The department, in consultation with the
7Appalachian Trail Conservancy, shall design a special
8Appalachian Trail organization registration plate. The plate, at
9a minimum, shall contain the image of a hiker and the
10Appalachian Trail Conservancy logo and distinctive coloring.
<-11Upon application of any person, accompanied by the appropriate
12fee, <-The Appalachian Trail Conservancy may charge a fee for the
13authorization to request the registration plate. Upon request by
14the applicant, the department shall issue the plate for a
15passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not
16more than 14,000 pounds or a motor home. <-The fee provided under
17section 1931 (relating to special registration plates) shall
18apply.

<-19(b) Proceeds.--It is the intent of the General Assembly that
20proceeds received by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy under
21this section are to be used exclusively for trail maintenance
22and improvement.

23Section 3. Sections 1786(h)(2) and 1931 of Title 75 are
24amended to read:

25§ 1786. Required financial responsibility.

26* * *

27(h) Reinstatement of voluntarily surrendered registration
28plate and card.--

29* * *

30(2) Any registration plate issued under sections 1340

1(relating to antique and classic plates) and 1341 (relating
2to [personal plate] special registration plates) shall be
3returned by the department to the owner of the motor vehicle
4upon receipt of proof of financial responsibility.

5* * *

6§ 1931. [Personal] Special registration plates.

7The fee for issuance of a [personal] special registration 
8plate shall be $20 which shall be in addition to the annual 
9registration fee. Only one payment of the issuance fee shall be 
10charged for each [personal] special registration issued or 
11replaced.

12Section 4. This act shall take effect in 120 days.