BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






           SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE       BILL NO: sb 151
          SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN              AUTHOR:  desaulnier
                                                         VERSION: 1/31/13
          Analysis by:  Carrie Cornwell                  FISCAL:  yes
          Hearing date:  April 16, 2013




          SUBJECT:

          License plates

          DESCRIPTION:

          This bill requires that any device the Department of Motor  
          Vehicles (DMV) issues in lieu of a license plate must be  
          displayed on the vehicle in the same locations as current law  
          requires for license plates.

          ANALYSIS:

          The first time a vehicle owner registers a vehicle, DMV issues a  
          pair of license plates for that vehicle.  Current law requires  
          that a vehicle display these as both a front and rear plate.  The  
          owner must affix each plate so that it is clearly visible, its  
          characters are upright and display from left to right, and the  
          rear plate is at least 12 inches but not more than 60 inches above  
          the ground.

          Since 1959, California law has authorized DMV to issue stickers,  
          tabs, or other suitable devices in lieu of license plates.  Also  
          since 1959, state law has authorized DMV to make and publish rules  
          and regulations for the use and display of such stickers or  
          devices issued in lieu of license plates.  

          DMV has never exercised its authority to establish these devices  
          in lieu of plates and, therefore, has never established rules for  
          their display.

           This bill  repeals DMV's authority to make rules governing the  
          use and display of stickers or devices in lieu of license  
          plates.  Thus, the bill requires that any vehicle displaying  
          devices in lieu of license plates must display a front and rear  
          device, so that the characters are upright and display from left  
          to right, and that the rear device would be at least 12 and not  




          SB 151 (DESAULNIER)                                    Page 2

                                                                       


          more than 60 inches above the ground.
          
          COMMENTS:

           Purpose  .  Several proposals have come forward in recent years  
          from private entities under which DMV would issue something in  
          lieu of license plates.  Examples include a small sized vinyl  
          facsimile of the front license plate and an electronic screen  
          capable of displaying digital images in place of the rear plate.  
           While it may be appropriate for DMV to choose to offer these  
          types of devices in lieu of license plates, it is important that  
          vehicle owners display these devices in the same locations as  
          they must display license plates.  

          This bill ensures that should DMV issue such devices, vehicle  
          owners would still have to display them in a manner consistent  
          with existing law so that law enforcement and others can easily  
          and quickly, when needed, locate a vehicle's devices for  
          identification purposes.
          
          POSITIONS:  (Communicated to the committee before noon on  
          Wednesday,                                             April 10,  
          2013.)

               SUPPORT:  None received.

               OPPOSED:  None received.























          SB 151 (DESAULNIER)                                    Page 3