Amended in Senate April 23, 2013

Amended in Senate April 1, 2013

Senate Bill No. 806

Introduced by Senator Price

February 22, 2013

An act to amend Section 4853 of the Vehicle Code, relating to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 806, as amended, Price. Department of Motor begin delete Vehicles. end delete begin insert Vehicles: license plate alternatives pilot program. end insert

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Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue license plates for vehicles, as specified, and to issue one or more stickers, tabs, or other suitable devices in lieu of the license plates, as specified.

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This bill would authorize the department to establish a pilot program to evaluate the use of alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards, subject to certain requirements.

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Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish contracts for electronic programs that allow qualified private industry partners to join the department in providing services that include processing and payment programs for vehicle registration and titling transactions. Existing law, the Schrade-Belotti Act, requires the department, upon registering a vehicle, to issue to the owner partially or fully reflectorized license plates or devices for the vehicle, as specified.

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This bill would authorize the department to authorize the use of stickers or suitable devices issued by motor clubs, as defined, or first-line business partners or first-line service providers, as specified, in lieu of license plates, as specified.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 4853 of the Vehicle Code is amended to
read:

4853.  

(a) The department may issue one or more stickers, tabs,
or other suitable devices in lieu of the license plates provided for
under this code. Except where the physical differences between
the stickers, tabs, or devices and license plates by their nature
render the provisions of this code inapplicable, all provisions of
this code relating to license plates may apply to stickers, tabs, or
devices.

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(b) In lieu of license plates provided for under this chapter, the
department may authorize the use of stickers or suitable devices
issued by motor clubs as defined in Section 12142 of the Insurance
Code, or first-line business partners or first-line service providers
operating pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1685.

(c) The department may adopt appropriate rules and regulations
for the use and display of stickers or devices issued in lieu of
license plates.

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(b) The department may establish a pilot program to evaluate
the use of alternatives to the stickers, tabs, license plates, and
registration cards authorized by this code, subject to the following
requirements:

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(1) The alternative products shall be approved by the
Department of the California Highway Patrol.

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(2) The pilot program shall be limited to no more than 0.5
percent of registered vehicles for the purpose of road testing and
evaluation.

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(3) The alternative products to be evaluated shall be provided
at no cost to the state.

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(4) The pilot program shall be completed no later than January
1, 2017.

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