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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7132
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 5591
Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
Introduced by:
(JUD)
AN ACT CONCERNING NON -SAFETY RELATED TRAFFIC STOPS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 14-18 of the 1
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 3
(a) (1) Each motor vehicle for which one number plate has been issued 4
shall, while in use or operation upon any public highway, display in a 5
conspicuous place at the rear of such vehicle the number plate. The 6
commissioner may issue a sticker denoting the expiration date of the 7
registration. Such sticker shall be displayed in such place on the vehicle 8
as the commissioner may direct. Such sticker may contain the 9
corresponding letters and numbers of the registration and number plate 10
issued by the commissioner. 11
(2) Each motor vehicle for which two number plates have been issued 12
shall, while in use or operation upon any public highway, display such 13
number plates in a conspicuous place at (A) the front, and (B) the rear 14
of such vehicle, [the number plates] which may include against a 15
vehicle's rear window, provided the numerals and letters on any such 16
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number plate are plainly legible. The commissioner may issue a sticker 17
denoting the expiration date of the registration. Such sticker shall be 18
displayed in such place on the vehicle as the commissioner may direct. 19
Such sticker may contain the corresponding letters and numbers of the 20
number plate issued by the commissioner. 21
(b) Repealed by 1969, P.A. 247, S. 1. 22
(c) Official number plates when displayed upon motor vehicles shall 23
be [entirely] substantially unobscured and the numerals and letters 24
[thereon] on such plates shall be plainly legible at all times. Such number 25
plates shall be horizontal [,] and shall be fastened so as not to swing. 26
[and, during the time when a motor vehicle is required to display lights, 27
the rear number plate shall be so illuminated as to be legible at a distance 28
of fifty feet.] Nothing may be affixed to a motor vehicle or to the official 29
number plates displayed on such vehicle that obscures or impairs the 30
visibility of [any information] the numerals and letters on such number 31
plates. Not more than one number plate shall be displayed on the front 32
or rear of any motor vehicle in operation upon the public highways of 33
the state; provided any motor vehicle may, upon permission of the 34
commissioner, display more than one number plate in front or rear, 35
subject to such conditions as the commissioner prescribes. If any 36
number plate supplied by the commissioner is lost, or if the registered 37
number [thereon] on such plate becomes mutilated or illegible, the 38
owner of or the person in control of the motor vehicle for which such 39
number plate was furnished shall immediately place a temporary 40
number plate bearing said registration number upon such motor 41
vehicle, which temporary number plate shall conform to the regular 42
number plate and shall be displayed as nearly as possible as [herein] 43
provided in this section for such regular number plate; and such owner 44
shall, within forty-eight hours after such loss or mutilation of the 45
number plate, give notice thereof to the commissioner and apply for a 46
new number plate. The commissioner may issue a permit to operate 47
with such temporary plate and shall supply new number plates upon 48
payment of the fee therefor as provided in section 14-50a. Upon receipt 49
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of such new number plates and new certificate, the remaining old 50
number plate, if any, and certificate shall be surrendered to the 51
commissioner. As used in this subsection, "substantially unobscured" 52
means that the number plate is not significantly blocked or concealed by 53
an obstacle or obstruction, to an extent that allows for a reasonable 54
person to read the numerals and letters of such plate. 55
Sec. 2. Section 14-96a of the general statutes is repealed and the 56
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 57
(a) Every vehicle upon a highway within this state shall display such 58
lighted lamps and illuminating devices as may be required under the 59
provisions of this section and sections [14-96a] 14-96b to 14-96aa, 60
inclusive, (1) at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour 61
before sunrise, (2) at any time when, due to insufficient light or 62
unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and vehicles on the 63
highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of five hundred feet 64
ahead, and (3) at any time during periods of precipitation, including, 65
but not limited to, periods of snow, rain or fog. 66
(b) Whenever in said sections any requirement is declared as to 67
distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects 68
visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, such 69
requirement shall apply during the times stated in subsection (a) of this 70
section in respect to a vehicle without load when upon a straight, level, 71
unlighted highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a 72
different time or condition is expressly stated. 73
(c) Whenever in said sections any requirement is declared as to the 74
mounted height of lamps or devices, such requirement shall mean the 75
height measured from the center of such lamps or devices to the level 76
ground upon which the vehicle stands when such vehicle is without a 77
load. 78
(d) Failure to [provide lighted] illuminate lamps and illuminating 79
devices at such time as required by this section shall be an infraction. 80
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(e) To the extent that a violation concerning the number, placement 81
or intensity of a lamp or illuminating device, or any other technical 82
specification provided in sections 14-96b to 14-96aa, inclusive, 83
concerning a lamp or illuminating device would constitute a violation 84
under this section, such violation shall be enforced under section 14-96b, 85
14-96c, as amended by this act, 14-96d, 14-96e, 14-96f, 14-96g, 14-96h, 14-86
96i, 14-96j, 14-96k, 14-96l, 14-96m, 14-96n, 14-96o, 14-96p, 14-96q, 14-96r, 87
14-96s, 14-96t, 14-96u, 14-96x, 14-96y, as amended by this act, 14-96z or 88
14-96aa, and not under this section. 89
Sec. 3. Section 14-96c of the general statutes is repealed and the 90
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 91
(a) After October 1, 1967, every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and 92
pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a 93
combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two tail lamps 94
mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required in subsection (a) 95
of section 14-96a, as amended by this act, shall emit a red light plainly 96
visible from a distance of one thousand feet to the rear, except that 97
passenger cars manufactured or assembled prior to October 1, 1957, and 98
motorcycles shall have at least one such tail lamp. On a combination of 99
vehicles, only the tail lamps on the rearmost vehicle need actually be 100
seen from the distance specified. On vehicles equipped with more than 101
one tail lamp, the lamps shall be mounted on the same level and as 102
widely spaced laterally as practicable. 103
(b) Every tail lamp upon every vehicle shall be located at a mounted 104
height of not more than seventy-two inches nor less than fifteen inches. 105
(c) The rear registration plate shall be so illumined with a white light 106
as to render it clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet to the rear. Any 107
tail lamp or tail lamps, together with any separate lamp or lamps for 108
illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be so wired as to be lighted 109
whenever the head lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted, except 110
that any vehicle equipped by the manufacturer with daytime running 111
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lamps which meet federal requirements may have such daytime 112
running lamps illuminated without illumination of the tail lamps or rear 113
registration plate. 114
(d) Failure to have tail lamps [or failure to illuminate the rear 115
registration plate] as required in this section shall be an infraction. 116
Sec. 4. Section 14-96y of the general statutes is repealed and the 117
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 118
(a) At all times specified in subsection (a) of section 14-96a, as 119
amended by this act, [at least two lighted lamps shall be displayed, one 120
on each side at the front of every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle] 121
each motor vehicle shall have at least one functioning head lamp located 122
at the front of such vehicle, except when such vehicle is parked subject 123
to the regulations governing lights on parked vehicles. 124
(b) Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with head lamps as [herein] 125
required by this section is also equipped with any auxiliary lamps or a 126
spot lamp or any other lamp on the front thereof projecting a beam of 127
intensity greater than three hundred candlepower, not more than a total 128
of four of any such lamps on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at any 129
one time when upon a highway. 130
(c) Failure to have [lamps] one functioning head lamp as required by 131
this section shall be an infraction. 132
Sec. 5. Section 14-99f of the general statutes is repealed and the 133
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 134
(a) Each motor vehicle shall be equipped with a windshield of a type 135
prescribed by section 14-100 and a windshield cleaner or wiper in 136
effective working order located directly in front of the operator while in 137
use on the highway. The windshield shall be reasonably free of defects 138
and accumulations, inside and out, of snow, ice, condensation and dirt. 139
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a motorcycle or a 140
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vehicle designed by the manufacturer for nonhighway operation 141
without a windshield. 142
(b) No person shall operate a motor vehicle required to be equipped 143
with such a windshield if the windshield is in a condition to interfere 144
with an unobstructed view of the highway in a manner that significantly 145
blocks or conceals by use of an obstacle or obstruction to an extent that 146
would prevent a reasonable person from viewing the highway. 147
(c) No article, device, sticker or ornament shall be attached or affixed 148
to or hung on or in any motor vehicle in such a manner or location as to 149
interfere with the operator's unobstructed view of the highway in a 150
manner that significantly blocks or conceals by use of an obstacle or 151
obstruction to an extent that would prevent a reasonable person from 152
viewing the highway or to distract the attention of the operator. 153
(d) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction. 154
Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 14-12 of the general statutes is 155
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 156
1, 2025): 157
(a) No motor vehicle shall be operated, towed or parked on any 158
highway, except as otherwise expressly provided, unless it is registered 159
with the commissioner, provided any motor vehicle may be towed for 160
repairs or necessary work if it bears the number plates of a licensed and 161
registered dealer, manufacturer or repairer and provided any motor 162
vehicle which is validly registered in another state may, for a period of 163
ninety days following establishment by the owner of residence in this 164
state, be operated on any highway without first being registered with 165
the commissioner. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, (1) a 166
person commits an infraction if such person (A) registers a motor 167
vehicle [he or she] such person does not own, or (B) operates, allows the 168
operation of, parks or allows the parking of an unregistered motor 169
vehicle on any highway, or (2) a resident of this state who operates or 170
parks a motor vehicle such resident owns with number plates issued by 171
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another state on any highway shall be fined two hundred fifty dollars, 172
except that the fine shall be suspended for a first time violator who 173
presents proof of registration for the motor vehicle subsequent to the 174
violation but prior to the imposition of a fine. If the owner of a motor 175
vehicle previously registered with the commissioner, the registration of 176
which expired not more than [thirty] sixty days previously, operates, 177
allows the operation of, parks or allows that parking of such a motor 178
vehicle, such owner shall be fined the amount designated for the 179
infraction of failure to renew a registration, but the right to retain his or 180
her operator's license shall not be affected. No operator other than the 181
owner shall be subject to penalty for the operation or parking of such a 182
previously registered motor vehicle. As used in this subsection, the term 183
"unregistered motor vehicle" includes any vehicle that is not eligible for 184
registration by the commissioner due to the absence of necessary 185
equipment or other characteristics of the vehicle that make it unsuitable 186
for highway operation, unless the operation of such vehicle is expressly 187
permitted by another provision of this chapter or chapter 248. 188
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2025 14-18(a) to (c)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025 14-96a
Sec. 3 October 1, 2025 14-96c
Sec. 4 October 1, 2025 14-96y
Sec. 5 October 1, 2025 14-99f
Sec. 6 October 1, 2025 14-12(a)
Statement of Purpose:
To clarify and amend certain statutes for traffic stops concerning
properly displaying a number plate, lamps and illuminating devices,
windshields and registration.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]