BILL NUMBER: SB 1453	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 13, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 24, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Price
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Ma)

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to add Section 1656.6 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1453, as amended, Price. Vehicles: digital electronic license
plates.
   Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon the
registration of a vehicle, to issue to the owner of the vehicle,
license plates meeting specified requirements for the vehicle.
   This bill would authorize the department to take specified actions
for the purposes of developing and evaluating the use of digital
electronic license plates, as defined. The bill would authorize the
department to contract with a private vendor for the purposes of
researching,  reporting,  developing, acquiring, and
exploring the utilization of the digital electronic license plates.
The bill would require the department, on or before January 1,
 2012   2013  , to submit to the
Legislature  an interim   a  report on
 the progress of  its investigation on the
utilization of the digital electronic license plates  and a
final report, on or before January 1, 2013, on its investigation
 .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
   SB 1453, as amended, Price. Vehicles: digital electronic license
plates.
   Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon the
registration of a vehicle, to issue to the owner of the vehicle,
license plates meeting specified requirements for the vehicle.
   This bill would authorize the department to take specified actions
for the purposes of developing and evaluating the use of digital
electronic license plates, as defined. The bill would authorize the
department to contract with a private vendor for the purposes of
researching,  reporting,  developing, acquiring, and
exploring the utilization of the digital electronic license plates.
The bill would require the department, on or before January 1,
 2012   2013  , to submit to the
Legislature  an interim   a  report on
 the progress of  its investigation on the
utilization of the digital electronic license plates  and a
final report, on or before January 1, 2013, on its investigation
 .
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
   (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles, by virtue of its interaction
with millions of California drivers and vehicle owners each year,
represents a valuable resource to the state and an important public
safety advocate and partner.
   (b) The department, as are all state agencies and departments, is
experiencing budget reductions, furloughs, and other cost-saving
measures aimed at alleviating the current and expected budget
financial crisis of the state.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1656.6 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   1656.6.  (a) The department may consider the use and development
of existing or emerging technologies for the creation of a digital
electronic license plate for the purpose of generating revenue for
the department and state.
   (b) For the purposes of developing and evaluating the potential
use of a digital electronic license plate, the department may enter
into any of the following:
   (1) A request for proposals.
   (2) A memorandum of understanding.
   (3) A letter of intent.
   (4) Other instruments deemed appropriate by the department.
   (c) The department may enter into a contract with a private vendor
for the purposes of researching,  reporting,  developing,
acquiring, and exploring the utilization of a digital electronic
license plate. 
   (d) The department shall do both of the following: 

   (1) On or before January 1, 2012, submit to the Legislature
pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code an interim report on
the progress of its investigation of the utilization of digital
electronic licence plates.  
   (2) On or before January 1, 2013, submit to the Legislature

    (d)     (1)     On or
before January 1, 2013, the department shall submit to the
Legislature  pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code a
 final  report on its investigation of the
utilization of digital electronic license plates containing all of
the following information:
   (A) An explanation of how digital  electric  
electronic  license plates could function as both a vehicle
identifier and a mobile message display unit, including all of the
following:
   (i) Restrictions the department may impose upon the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate. 
   (ii) The control that a registered owner may have over the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate. 

   (iii) The control that a legal owner may have over the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate.  

   (iv) 
    (iii)  Options for the driver of the vehicle to display
and to change the messages displayed on the digital electronic
license plate.
   (B) The effects of the use of the digital electronic license
plates on traffic safety, including, in consultation with the
Department of California Highway Patrol, a consideration of the
onroad safety impacts of digital electronic license plates through
onroad testing of these plates authorized by the Department of the
California Highway Patrol.
   (C) The revenues to the state that may be generated by the use of
the digital electronic license plates, if any.
   (D) Cost savings that may be realized by the department through
improved efficiency in the registration of vehicles, if any.
   (E) The security and reliability of the digital electronic license
plates.
    (F) Recommendations on the future use of digital electronic
license plates. 
   (2) The private vendor shall pay for the costs related to the
report prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) as a part of the contract
entered into pursuant to subdivision (c). 
   (e) For purposes of this section, "digital electronic license
plate" is a license plate that may be used secondarily as a mobile
message display unit and that complies with Article 7 (commencing
with Section 4850) of Chapter 1 of Division 3 while in vehicle
identification mode.
  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
   (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles, by virtue of its interaction
with millions of California drivers and vehicle owners each year,
represents a valuable resource to the state and an important public
safety advocate and partner.
   (b) The department, as are all state agencies and departments, is
experiencing budget reductions, furloughs, and other cost-saving
measures aimed at alleviating the current and expected budget
financial crisis of the state.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1656.6 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   1656.6.  (a) The department may consider the use and development
of existing or emerging technologies for the creation of a digital
electronic license plate for the purpose of generating revenue for
the department and state.
   (b) For the purposes of developing and evaluating the potential
use of a digital electronic license plate, the department may enter
into any of the following:
   (1) A request for proposals.
   (2) A memorandum of understanding.
   (3) A letter of intent.
   (4) Other instruments deemed appropriate by the department.
   (c) The department may enter into a contract with a private vendor
for the purposes of researching,  reporting,  developing,
acquiring, and exploring the utilization of a digital electronic
license plate. 
   (d) The department shall do both of the following: 

   (1) On or before January 1, 2012, submit to the Legislature
pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code an interim report on
the progress of its investigation of the utilization of digital
electronic licence plates.  
   (2) On or before January 1, 2013, submit to the Legislature

    (d)     (1)     On or
before January 1, 2013, the department shall submit to the
Legislature  pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code a
 final  report on its investigation of the
utilization of digital electronic license plates containing all of
the following information:
   (A) An explanation of how digital  electric  
electronic  license plates could function as both a vehicle
identifier and a mobile message display unit, including all of the
following:
   (i) Restrictions the department may impose upon the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate.
   (ii) The control that a registered owner may have over the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate. 
   (iii) The control that a legal owner may have over the message
displayed on the digital electronic license plate.  

   (iv) 
    (iii)  Options for the driver of the vehicle to display
and to change the messages displayed on the digital electronic
license plate.
   (B) The effects of the use of the digital electronic license
plates on traffic safety, including, in consultation with the
Department of California Highway Patrol, a consideration of the
onroad safety impacts of digital electronic license plates through
onroad testing of these plates authorized by the Department of the
California Highway Patrol.
   (C) The revenues to the state that may be generated by the use of
the digital electronic license plates, if any.
   (D) Cost savings that may be realized by the department through
improved efficiency in the registration of vehicles, if any.
   (E) The security and reliability of the digital electronic license
plates.
    (F) Recommendations on the future use of digital electronic
license plates. 
   (2) The private vendor shall pay for the costs related to the
report prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) as a part of the contract
entered into pursuant to subdivision (c). 
   (e) For purposes of this section, "digital electronic license
plate" is a license plate that may be used secondarily as a mobile
message display unit and that complies with Article 7 (commencing
with Section 4850) of Chapter 1 of Division 3 while in vehicle
identification mode.
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