BILL NUMBER: AB 2489	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 8, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 27, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hall

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to amend Section 19.8 of the Penal Code, and to amend
Section 4464 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2489, as amended, Hall. Vehicles: license plates: alteration.
   (1) Existing law prohibits a person from displaying upon a vehicle
a license plate altered from its original markings. A violation of
this provision is an infraction and the penalty for the first
conviction of an infraction under the Vehicle Code is a fine not
exceeding $100.
   This bill would define "altered"  to mean defacing the
license plate in any manner   for this purpose to mean
altering the license plate in any manner, including in a manner 
designed to avoid visual or electronic capture of the license plate
or its  characters and would   characters. The
bill would additionally prohibit a person from displaying a license
plate that is defaced and would  provide that  "defacing"
  "defaced"  includes painting over or erasing the
reflective coating of a license plate. By expanding the definition
of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program. The bill would provide that a violation of this prohibition
is punishable by a fine of not more than $250 and would provide that
the offense is subject to specified procedures with regard to a
defendant electing to have the case proceed as a misdemeanor.
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 19.8 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
   19.8.   (a)    The following offenses are
subject to subdivision (d) of Section 17: Sections 193.8, 330, 415,
485, 490.7, 555, 602.13, 652, and 853.7 of this code; subdivision (c)
of Section 532b, and subdivision (n) of Section 602 of this code;
subdivision (b) of Section 25658 and Sections 21672, 25658.5, 25661,
and 25662 of the Business and Professions Code; Section 27204 of the
Government Code; subdivision (c) of Section 23109 and Sections 4464,
12500, 14601.1, 27150.1, 40508, and 42005 of the Vehicle Code, and
any other offense that the Legislature makes subject to subdivision
(d) of Section 17. Except where a lesser maximum fine is expressly
provided for a violation of those sections, a violation that is an
infraction is punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty
dollars ($250). 
    Except 
    (b)     Except  for the violations
enumerated in subdivision (d) of Section 13202.5 of the Vehicle Code,
and Section 14601.1 of the Vehicle Code based upon failure to
appear, a conviction for an offense made an infraction under
subdivision (d) of Section 17 is not grounds for the suspension,
revocation, or denial of a license, or for the revocation of
probation or parole of the person convicted.
  SEC. 2.  Section 4464 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   4464.  (a) A person shall not display upon a vehicle a license
plate that is  defaced or  altered from its original
markings.
   (b) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
   (1) "Altered"  means defacing   means
altering  the license plate in any manner  , including in a
manner  designed to avoid visual or electronic capture of the
license plate or its characters.
   (2)  "Defacing"   "Defaced"  includes,
but is not limited to, painting over or erasing the reflective
coating of a license plate.
   (c) A violation of this section is an infraction punishable by a
fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250), pursuant to
Section 19.8 of the Penal Code.
  SEC. 3.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.