California Senate Bill SB806 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 806AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 23, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013 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  Vehicles.   Vehicles: lice   nse plate alternatives pilot program.   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.   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.   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.   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.  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.  (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.   (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:   (1) The alternative products shall be approved by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.   (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.   (3) The alternative products to be evaluated shall be provided at no cost to the state.   (4) The pilot program shall be completed no later than January 1, 2017.