FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1397
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEOEHLERKING.
2225H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection301.144,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingto
specialpersonalizedlicenseplates.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section301.144,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection301.144,toreadasfollows:
301.144.1.Thedirectorofrevenueshallestablishandissuespecialpersonalized
2licenseplatescontaininglettersornumbersorcombinationsoflettersandnumbers.Such
3licenseplatesshallbemadewithfullyreflectivematerialwithacommoncolorschemeand
4design,shallbeclearlyvisibleatnight,andshallbeaestheticallyattractive,asprescribedby
5section301.130.Anypersondesiringtoobtainaspecialpersonalizedlicenseplateforany
6motorvehiclethepersonowns,eithersolelyorjointly,otherthananapportionedmotor
7vehicleoracommercialmotorvehiclelicensedinexcessoftwenty-fourthousandpounds
8grossweightshallapplytothedirectorofrevenueonaformprovidedbythedirectorand
9shallpayafeeof[fifteen] thirtydollarsinadditiontotheregularregistrationfees.The
10additionalthirty-dollarfeeshallbecollectedonlyforneworreissuedspecial
11personalizedlicenseplatesandnotannuallyuponrenewalofexistingplates.The
12directorofrevenueshallissuerulesandregulationssettingthestandardsandestablishingthe
13procedureforapplicationforandissuanceofthespecialpersonalizedlicenseplatesandshall
14provideadeadlineeachyearfortheapplications.Anyruleorportionofarule,asthattermis
15definedinsection536.010,thatiscreatedundertheauthoritydelegatedinthissectionshall
16becomeeffectiveonlyifitcomplieswithandissubjecttoalloftheprovisionsofchapter536
17and,ifapplicable,section536.028.Thissectionandchapter536arenonseverableandifany
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18ofthepowersvestedwiththegeneralassemblypursuanttochapter536toreview,todelaythe
19effectivedate,ortodisapproveandannularulearesubsequentlyheldunconstitutional,then
20thegrantofrulemakingauthorityandanyruleproposedoradoptedafterAugust28,2001,
21shallbeinvalidandvoid.Notwoownersshallbeissuedidenticalplates.Anownershall
22makeanewapplicationandpayanewfeeeachyearsuchownerdesirestoobtainorretain
23specialpersonalizedlicenseplates;however,notwithstandingtheprovisionsofsubsection8
24ofsection301.130tothecontrary,thedirectorshallallowthespecialpersonalizedlicense
25platestobereplacedwithnewplateseverythreeyearswithoutanyadditionalcharge,above
26thefeeestablishedinthissection,totherenewalapplicant.Anypersoncurrentlyin
27possessionofanapprovedpersonalizedlicenseplateshallhavefirstpriorityonthatparticular
28plateforeachofthefollowingyearsthattimelyandappropriateapplicationismade.
29 2.Uponapplicationforapersonalizedplatebytheownerofamotorvehiclefor
30whichtheownerhasnoregistrationplateavailablefortransferasprescribedbysection
31301.140,thedirectorshallissueatemporarypermitauthorizingtheoperationofthemotor
32vehicleuntilthepersonalizedplateisissued.
33 3.Nopersonalizedlicenseplatesshallbeissuedcontaininganyletters,numbersor
34combinationoflettersandnumberswhichareobscene,profane,patentlyoffensiveor
35contemptuousofaracialorethnicgroup,oroffensivetogoodtasteordecency,orwould
36presentanunreasonabledangertothehealthorsafetyoftheapplicant,ofotherusersof
37streetsandhighways,orofthepublicinanylocationwherethevehiclewithsuchaplatemay
38befound.Thedirectormayrecallanypersonalizedlicenseplates,includingthoseissued
39priortoAugust28,1992,ifthedirectordeterminesthattheplatesareobscene,profane,
40patentlyoffensiveorcontemptuousofaracialorethnicgroup,oroffensivetogoodtasteor
41decency,orwouldpresentanunreasonabledangertothehealthorsafetyoftheapplicant,of
42otherusersofstreetsandhighways,orofthepublicinanylocationwherethevehiclewith
43suchaplatemaybefound.Wherethedirectorrecallssuchplatespursuanttotheprovisions
44ofthissubsection,thedirectorshallreissuepersonalizedlicenseplatestotheownerofthe
45motorvehicleforwhichtheywereissuedatnocharge,ifthenewplatesproposedbythe
46ownerofthemotorvehiclemeetthestandardsestablishedpursuanttothissection.The
47directorshallnotapplytheprovisionsofthisstatuteinawaythatviolatestheMissourior
48UnitedStatesConstitutionsasinterpretedbythecourtswithcontrollingauthorityinthestate
49ofMissouri.Theprimarypurposeofmotorvehiclelicenseplatesistoidentifymotor
50vehicles.Nothingintheissuanceofapersonalizedlicenseplatecreatesadesignatedor
51limitedpublicforum.Nothingcontainedinthissubsectionshallbeinterpretedtoprohibitthe
52useoflicenseplates,whicharenolongervalidforregistrationpurposes,ascollector'sitems
53orfordecorativepurposes.
HB1397 2 54 4.Thedirectormayalsoestablishcategoriesofspeciallicenseplatesfromwhich
55licenseplatesmaybeissued.Anysuchperson,otherthanapersonexemptedfromthe
56additionalfeepursuanttosubsection7ofthissection,thatdesiresapersonalizedspecial
57licenseplatefromanysuchcategoryshallpaythesameadditionalfeeandmakethesame
58kindofapplicationasthatrequiredbysubsection1ofthissection,andthedirectorshallissue
59suchplatesinthesamemannerasotherpersonalizedspeciallicenseplatesareissued.
60 5.ThedirectorofrevenueshallissuetoresidentsofthestateofMissouriwhoholdan
61unrevokedandunexpiredofficialamateurradiolicenseissuedbytheFederal
62CommunicationsCommission,uponapplicationanduponpaymentoftheadditionalfee
63specifiedinsubsection1ofthissection,exceptforapersonexemptedfromtheadditionalfee
64pursuanttosubsection7ofthissection,personalizedspeciallicenseplatesbearingtheofficial
65amateurradiocalllettersassignedbytheFederalCommunicationsCommissiontothe
66applicantwiththewords"AMATEURRADIO"inplaceofthewords"SHOW-MESTATE".
67Theapplicationshallbeaccompaniedbyastatementstatingthattheapplicanthasan
68unrevokedandunexpiredamateurradiolicenseissuedbytheFederalCommunications
69CommissionandtheofficialradiocalllettersassignedbytheFederalCommunications
70Commissiontotheapplicant.Anownermakinganewapplicationandpayinganewfeeto
71retainanamateurradiolicenseplatemayrequestareplacementplatewiththewords
72"AMATEURRADIO"inplaceofthewords"SHOW-MESTATE".Ifapplicationismadeto
73retainaplatethatisthreeyearsoldorolder,thereplacementplateshallbeissueduponthe
74paymentofrequiredfees.
75 6.Notwithstandinganyotherprovisiontothecontrary,anybusinessthatrepossesses
76motorvehiclesortrailersandsellsorotherwisedisposesofthemshallbeissuedaplacard
77displayingtheword"Repossessed",providedsuchbusinesspaysthelicensefeespresently
78requiredofamanufacturer,distributor,ordealerinsection301.560.Suchplacardshallbeara
79numberandshallbeinsuchformasthedirectorofrevenueshalldetermine,andshallbeonly
80usedfordemonstrationswhendisplayedsubstantiallyasprovidedfornumberplatesonthe
81rearoftherepossessedmotorvehicleortrailer.
82 7.Notwithstandinganyprovisionoflawtothecontrary,anypersonwhohasretired
83fromanybranchoftheUnitedStatesArmedForcesorreserves,theUnitedStatesCoast
84Guardorreserve,theUnitedStatesMerchantMarinesorreserve,theNationalGuard,orany
85subdivisionofanysuchservicesshallbeexemptfromtheadditionalfeerequiredfor
86personalizedlicenseplatesissuedpursuanttosection301.441.Asusedinthissubsection,
87"retired"meanshavingservedtwentyormoreyearsintheappropriatebranchofserviceand
88havingreceivedanhonorabledischarge.
âś”
HB1397 3