BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1658
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Date of Hearing: April 9, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1658 (Gatto) - As Introduced: February 14, 2012
SUBJECT : Specialty license plates
SUMMARY : Establishes a California Legacy License Plate Program.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish a
California Legacy License Plate Program and create and issue a
series of specialized license plates known as California
Legacy License Plates that replicate the look of California
license plates from the state's past.
2)Requires the plates' design to be identical to a regular
license plate, except for consisting of one or more of the
following designs:
a) Yellow background with black lettering per the
appearance of California license plates issued by DMV in
the 1950s;
b) Black background with yellow lettering per the
appearance of California license plates issued by DMV in
the 1960s; and,
c) Blue background with yellow lettering per the appearance
of California license plates issued by DMV in the 1980s.
1)Levies for these plates, in addition to the regular fees for
an original registration or renewal of registration, a fee of
$50 for the original issuance of the plates, $40 for
registration renewal, $15 for transfer of the plates to
another vehicle, and $35 for each substitute replacement
plate.
2)Prohibits DMV from issuing a California Legacy License Plates
for a vehicle that is exempt from the payment of registration
fees.
3)Prohibits DMV from establishing the California Legacy License
Plate Program until it has received not less than 2,500 paid
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applications for plates.
4)Requires DMV to collect and hold applications for the plates
and to issue them after it has received not less than 2,500
paid applications for the particular plates by January 1,
2014. If, after that date, 2,500 paid applications have not
been received, DMV must immediately refund to all applicants
all fees or deposits that have been collected.
5)Makes moneys available, upon appropriation by the Legislature,
to DMV for the necessary administrative costs of establishing
the California Legacy License Plate Program upon determination
by DMV that there are sufficient funds for the program.
6)Requires DMV, after deducting its administrative costs, to
deposit any additional revenue derived from the issuance,
renewal, transfer, and substitution of the specialized license
plates into the California Environmental License Plate Fund,
for appropriation by the Legislature pursuant to existing law.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Allows a state agency to apply to DMV to sponsor a specialized
license plate program that DMV may not establish until it has
received at least 7,500 applications for that agency's
proposed plates. A sponsoring agency is allowed 12 months,
following the date of approval of its initial application to
sponsor a specialized license plate, to receive the required
number of applications.
2)Allows an owner of a vehicle that is a 1969 or older
model-year vehicle or the owner of a commercial vehicle or a
pickup truck that is a 1972 or older model-year to utilize
California license plates from the year corresponding to the
model-year date when the vehicle was manufactured, if the
model-year date license plate is legible and serviceable, as
determined by DMV, in lieu of the license plates that would
otherwise be required.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill is intended to
recreate license plates "that replicate the look of plates from
the state's past. It seeks to mirror the retro trend in the
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auto industry where companies have produced autos that pay
homage to vehicle designs of the past, as well as companies that
have revived old models that feature modern takes on vintage
designs."
The bill would require DMV, upon receiving at least 2,500 paid
applications, to produce and issue new license plates that allow
consumers to choosing from classic designs from the 1950s/1960s
(black lettering on yellow background or yellow lettering on
black background) and 1970s/1980s (yellow lettering on blue
background).
The author adds, "In addition to giving consumers new options on
what sort of license plate to use on their vehicles, it would
provide classic car collectors a risk-free way to acquire plates
that match the vintage of their vehicles. Currently, classic
car owners can 'revive' old plates that match the vintage of
their vehicle. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous sellers of
these 'vintage' license plates who pass off counterfeit
reproductions as genuine 'vintage' plates. The Legacy License
Plate Series would let collectors an opportunity, if they
choose, to put plates on their vehicles that match the era of
their vehicle without fear of being sold fake plates."
Suggested committee amendments : Establishing a plate program
with only 2,500 applications, especially one that features more
than one plate design, would set a costly precedent. This small
number of applications would not provide a sufficient or
sustainable foundation for a plate program, and would not cover
the DMV's implementation costs. California has long required a
minimum of 7,500 paid applications in order to establish a new
plate. Accordingly, this bill should be amended to reflect that
practice.
Additionally, DMV points out that the manufacturing process for
plates produced during the time period this bill attempts to
replicate was very different than what is currently used by the
Prison Industry Authority (PIA). The plates from the 50's, 60's
and early 70's were made from steel and then dipped in a vat of
paint to apply the color. The current plate manufacturing
process uses reflectorized sheeting which is laminated onto
aluminum plates. Even if solid color sheeting were to be used
in the production process, it would not have the same flat look
and appearance of a painted plate and would violate the
statutory mandate for all plates to be reflectorized. Painted
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aluminum plates are available but are not reflectorized. The
bill should therefore be amended to clarify that DMV would
produce plates that duplicate vintage plates only to the extent
reasonably possible within current production techniques and
mandated plate characteristics.
Finally, Mr. Jeffries wishes to be listed as a coauthor.
Related legislation : AB 610 (Solorio) would grant the
Veterinary Medical Board an additional 12 months to gather the
required plate 7,500 applications necessary for their
sponsorship of a specialty license plate. That bill is
currently pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Association of California Car Clubs
Capitol Auto Club Thunderbolts
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Howard Posner / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093