CS/CS/HB 275

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to motor vehicle, mobile home, and vessel
3	registration; amending s. 320.01, F.S.; redefining the
4	term "registration period"; defining the term "extended
5	registration period"; amending s. 320.055, F.S.;
6	establishing an extended registration period and renewal
7	period for certain motor vehicles and mobile homes;
8	amending s. 320.06, F.S.; extending the time period and
9	revising the fee for replacement of registration license
10	plates; extending the period of validity of license plates
11	and validation stickers to provide for an extended
12	registration period; amending s. 320.07, F.S.; providing
13	for the semiannual, annual, or biennial renewal of motor
14	vehicle and mobile home registrations; authorizing the
15	biennial renewal of certain motor vehicle and mobile home
16	registrations upon payment of the cumulative total of
17	license taxes, service charges, surcharges, and other
18	fees; amending s. 320.071, F.S.; specifying that the
19	registration period for a motor vehicle or mobile home may
20	not exceed a specified number of months; creating s.
21	320.203, F.S.; providing for the disposition of biennial
22	registration revenues; amending s. 328.72, F.S.; providing
23	for an extended registration period for certain vessel
24	owners; providing an effective date.
25
26	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
27
28	Section 1.  Subsection (19) of section 320.01, Florida
29	Statutes, is amended to read:
30	320.01  Definitions, general.--As used in the Florida
31	Statutes, except as otherwise provided, the term:
32	(19)(a)  "Registration period" means a period of 12 months
33	or 24 months during which a motor vehicle or mobile home
34	registration is valid.
35	(b)  "Extended registration period" means a period of 24
36	months during which a motor vehicle or mobile home registration
37	is valid.
38	Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 320.055, Florida
39	Statutes, is amended to read:
40	320.055  Registration periods; renewal periods.--The
41	following registration periods and renewal periods are
42	established:
43	(1)(a)  For a motor vehicle subject to registration under
44	s. 320.08(1), (2), (3), (5)(b), (c), (d), or (f), (6)(a), (7),
45	(8), (9), or (10) and owned by a natural person, the
46	registration period begins the first day of the birth month of
47	the owner and ends the last day of the month immediately
48	preceding the owner's birth month in the succeeding year. If
49	such vehicle is registered in the name of more than one person,
50	the birth month of the person whose name first appears on the
51	registration shall be used to determine the registration period.
52	For a vehicle subject to this registration period, the renewal
53	period is the 30-day period ending at midnight on the vehicle
54	owner's date of birth.
55	(b)  A motor vehicle or mobile home that is subject to
56	registration under s. 320.08(1), (2), (3), (4)(a) or (b), (6),
57	(7), (8), (9), (10), or (11) is eligible for an extended
58	registration period as defined in s. 320.01(19)(b).
59	(c)(b)  Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (a),
60	the owner of a motor vehicle subject to paragraph (a) who has
61	had his or her driver's license suspended pursuant to a
62	violation of s. 316.193 or pursuant to s. 322.26(2) for driving
63	under the influence must obtain a 6-month registration as a
64	condition of reinstating the license, subject to renewal during
65	the 3-year period that financial responsibility requirements
66	apply. The registration period begins the first day of the birth
67	month of the owner and ends the last day of the fifth month
68	immediately following the owner's birth month. For such
69	vehicles, the department shall issue a vehicle registration
70	certificate that is valid for 6 months and shall issue a
71	validation sticker that displays an expiration date of 6 months
72	after the date of issuance. The license tax required by s.
73	320.08 and all other applicable license taxes shall be one-half
74	of the amount otherwise required, except the service charge
75	required by s. 320.04 shall be paid in full for each 6-month
76	registration. A vehicle required to be registered under this
77	paragraph is not eligible for the extended registration period
78	under paragraph (b).
79	Section 3.  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of
80	section 320.06, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
81	320.06  Registration certificates, license plates, and
82	validation stickers generally.--
83	(1)
84	(b)  Registration license plates bearing a graphic symbol
85	and the alphanumeric system of identification shall be issued
86	for a 6-year 5-year period. At the end of that 6-year said 5-
87	year period, upon renewal, the plate shall be replaced. The fee
88	for such replacement is $12 shall be $10, $2 of which shall be
89	paid each year before the plate is replaced, to be credited
90	towards the next $12 $10 replacement fee. The fees shall be
91	deposited into the Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund. A credit
92	or refund shall not be given for any prior years' payments of
93	such prorated replacement fee if when the plate is replaced or
94	surrendered before the end of the 6-year 5-year period, except
95	that a credit may be given when a registrant is required by the
96	department to replace a license plate under s. 320.08056(8)(a).
97	With each license plate, there shall be issued a validation
98	sticker showing the owner's birth month, license plate number,
99	and the year of expiration or the appropriate renewal period if
100	the owner is not a natural person. The validation sticker shall
101	is to be placed on the upper right corner of the license plate.
102	Such license plate and validation sticker shall be issued based
103	on the applicant's appropriate renewal period. The registration
104	period is shall be a period of 12 months, the extended
105	registration period is a period of 24 months, and all
106	expirations shall occur based on the applicant's appropriate
107	registration period. A vehicle with an apportioned registration
108	shall be issued an annual license plate and a cab card that
109	denote the declared gross vehicle weight for each apportioned
110	jurisdiction in which the vehicle is authorized to operate.
111	(c)  Registration license plates equipped with validation
112	stickers subject to the registration period are shall be valid
113	for not more than 12 months and shall expire at midnight on the
114	last day of the registration period. A registration license
115	plate equipped with a validation sticker subject to the extended
116	registration period is valid for not more than 24 months and
117	expires at midnight on the last day of the extended registration
118	period. For each registration period after the one in which the
119	metal registration license plate is issued, and until the
120	license plate is required to be replaced, a validation sticker
121	showing the month and year of expiration shall be issued upon
122	payment of the proper license tax amount and fees and is shall
123	be valid for not more than 12 months. For each extended
124	registration period occurring after the one in which the metal
125	registration license plate is issued and until the license plate
126	is required to be replaced, a validation sticker showing the
127	year of expiration shall be issued upon payment of the proper
128	license tax amount and fees and is valid for not more than 24
129	months. When license plates equipped with validation stickers
130	are issued in any month other than the owner's birth month or
131	the designated registration period for any other motor vehicle,
132	the effective date shall reflect the birth month or month and
133	the year of renewal. However, when a license plate or validation
134	sticker is issued for a period of less than 12 months, the
135	applicant shall pay the appropriate amount of license tax and
136	the applicable fee under the provisions of s. 320.14 in addition
137	to all other fees. Validation stickers issued for vehicles taxed
138	under the provisions of s. 320.08(6)(a), for any company that
139	which owns 250 vehicles or more, or for semitrailers taxed under
140	the provisions of s. 320.08(5)(a), for any company that which
141	owns 50 vehicles or more, may be placed on any vehicle in the
142	fleet so long as the vehicle receiving the validation sticker
143	has the same owner's name and address as the vehicle to which
144	the validation sticker was originally assigned.
145	Section 4.  Section 320.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to
146	read:
147	320.07  Expiration of registration; annual renewal
148	required; penalties.--
149	(1)  The registration of a motor vehicle or mobile home
150	expires shall expire at midnight on the last day of the
151	registration or extended registration period. A vehicle shall
152	not be operated on the roads of this state after expiration of
153	the renewal period unless the registration has been renewed
154	according to law.
155	(2)  Registration shall be renewed semiannually, annually,
156	or biennially, as provided in this subsection, during the
157	applicable renewal period, upon payment of the applicable
158	license tax amounts amount required by s. 320.08, service
159	charges required by s. 320.04, and any additional fees required
160	by law.
161	(a)  However, Any person who owns owning a motor vehicle
162	registered under s. 320.08(4), (6)(b), or (13) may register
163	semiannually as provided in s. 320.0705.
164	(b)  Any person who owns a motor vehicle or mobile home
165	registered under s. 320.08(1), (2), (3), (4)(a) or (b), (6),
166	(7), (8), (9), (10), or (11) may renew the vehicle registration
167	biennially during the applicable renewal period upon payment of
168	the 2-year cumulative total of all applicable license tax
169	amounts required by s. 320.08 and service charges or surcharges
170	required by ss. 320.03, 320.04, 320.0801, 320.08015, 320.0802,
171	320.0804, 320.0805, 320.08046, and 320.08056 and payment of the
172	2-year cumulative total of any additional fees required by law
173	for an annual registration.
174	(3)  The operation of any motor vehicle without having
175	attached thereto a registration license plate and validation
176	stickers, or the use of any mobile home without having attached
177	thereto a mobile home sticker, for the current registration
178	period shall subject the owner thereof, if he or she is present,
179	or, if the owner is not present, the operator thereof to the
180	following penalty provisions:
181	(a)  Any person whose motor vehicle or mobile home
182	registration has been expired for a period of 6 months or less
183	commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a
184	nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
185	(b)  Any person whose motor vehicle or mobile home
186	registration has been expired for more than 6 months, shall upon
187	a first offense, is be subject to the penalty provided in s.
188	318.14.
189	(c)  Any person whose motor vehicle or mobile home
190	registration has been expired for more than 6 months, shall upon
191	a second or subsequent offense, commits be guilty of a
192	misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
193	775.082 or s. 775.083.
194	(d)  However, an no operator shall not be charged with a
195	violation of this subsection if the operator can show, pursuant
196	to a valid lease agreement, that the vehicle had been leased for
197	a period of 30 days or less at the time of the offense.
198	(e)  Any servicemember, as defined in s. 250.01, whose
199	mobile home registration has expired while he or she was serving
200	on active duty or state active duty shall not be charged with a
201	violation of this subsection if, at the time of the offense, the
202	servicemember was serving on active duty or state active duty 35
203	miles or more from the mobile home. The servicemember must
204	present to the department either a copy of the official military
205	orders or a written verification signed by the servicemember's
206	commanding officer to receive a waiver of waive charges.
207	(f)  The owner of a leased motor vehicle is not responsible
208	for any penalty specified in this subsection if the motor
209	vehicle is registered in the name of the lessee of the motor
210	vehicle.
211	(4)(a)  In addition to a penalty provided in subsection
212	(3), a delinquent fee based on the following schedule of license
213	taxes shall be imposed on any applicant who fails to renew a
214	registration prior to the end of the month in which renewal
215	registration is due. The delinquent fee shall be applied
216	beginning on the 11th calendar day of the month succeeding the
217	renewal period. The delinquent fee does shall not apply to those
218	vehicles that which have not been required to be registered
219	during the preceding registration period or as provided in s.
220	320.18(2). The delinquent fee shall be imposed as follows:
221	1.  License tax of $5 but not more than $25:  $5 flat.
222	2.  License tax over $25 but not more than $50:  $10 flat.
223	3.  License tax over $50 but not more than $100:  $15 flat.
224	4.  License tax over $100 but not more than $400:  $50
225	flat.
226	5.  License tax over $400 but not more than $600:  $100
227	flat.
228	6.  License tax over $600 and up:  $250 flat.
229	(b)  A person who has been assessed a penalty pursuant to
230	s. 316.545(2)(b) for failure to have a valid vehicle
231	registration certificate is not subject to the delinquent fee
232	authorized by this subsection if such person obtains a valid
233	registration certificate within 10 working days after such
234	penalty was assessed. The official receipt authorized by s.
235	316.545(6) constitutes proof of payment of the penalty
236	authorized in s. 316.545(2)(b).
237	(c)  The owner of a leased motor vehicle is not responsible
238	for any delinquent fee specified in this subsection if the motor
239	vehicle is registered in the name of the lessee of the motor
240	vehicle.
241	(5)  Any servicemember, as defined in s. 250.01, whose
242	motor vehicle or mobile home registration has expired while he
243	or she was serving on active duty or state active duty may,
244	shall be able to renew his or her registration upon return from
245	active duty or state active duty without penalty, if the
246	servicemember served on active duty or state active duty 35
247	miles or more from the servicemember's home of record prior to
248	entering active duty or state active duty. The servicemember
249	must provide to the department either a copy of the official
250	military orders or a written verification signed by the
251	servicemember's commanding officer to receive a waiver of waive
252	delinquent fees.
253	(6)  Delinquent fees imposed under this section are shall
254	not be apportionable under the International Registration Plan.
255	Section 5.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
256	320.071, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
257	320.071  Advance registration renewal; procedures.--
258	(1)(a)  The owner of any motor vehicle or mobile home
259	currently registered in this state may file an application for
260	renewal of registration with the department, or its authorized
261	agent in the county wherein the owner resides, any time during
262	the 3 months preceding the date of expiration of the
263	registration period. The registration period may not exceed 27
264	months.
265	Section 6.  Section 320.203, Florida Statutes, is created
266	to read:
267	320.203  Disposition of biennial license tax moneys.--
268	(1)  Notwithstanding ss. 320.08(1), (2), (3), (4)(a) or
269	(b), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), or (11), 320.08058, and 328.76
270	and pursuant to s. 216.351, after the provisions of s.
271	320.20(1), (2), (3), and (4) are fulfilled, an amount equal to
272	50 percent of revenues collected from the biennial registrations
273	created in s. 320.07 shall be retained in the Motor Vehicle
274	License Clearing Trust Fund, authorized in s. 215.32(2)(b)2.f.,
275	until July 1 of the following fiscal year and then accounted for
276	as revenue for that fiscal year derived from use fees, vessel
277	registrations, and the licensing of motor vehicles.
278	(2)  A tax collector may escrow an amount necessary to
279	annualize revenues collected from the biennial registration
280	service charges, branch charges, or tax collector fees created
281	in s. 320.07 until October 1 of the following fiscal year and
282	then account for that amount as revenue for that fiscal year.
283	Section 7.  Subsections (1), (3), (9), and (12) of section
284	328.72, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
285	328.72  Classification; registration; fees and charges;
286	surcharge; disposition of fees; fines; marine turtle stickers.--
287	(1)  VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.--Vessels that are required to
288	be registered shall be classified for registration purposes
289	according to the following schedule, and the registration
290	certificate fee shall be in the following amounts:
291	Class A-1--Less than 12 feet in length, and all canoes to
292	which propulsion motors have been attached, regardless of
293	length....$3.50 for each 12-month period registered.
294	Class A-2--12 feet or more and less than 16 feet in
295	length....10.50 for each 12-month period registered.
296	(To county)....2.85 for each 12-month period registered.
297	Class 1--16 feet or more and less than 26 feet in
298	length....18.50 for each 12-month period registered.
299	(To county)....8.85 for each 12-month period registered.
300	Class 2--26 feet or more and less than 40 feet in
301	length....50.50 for each 12-month period registered.
302	(To county)....32.85 for each 12-month period registered.
303	Class 3--40 feet or more and less than 65 feet in
304	length....82.50 for each 12-month period registered.
305	(To county)....56.85 for each 12-month period registered.
306	Class 4--65 feet or more and less than 110 feet in
307	length....98.50 for each 12-month period registered.
308	(To county)....68.85 for each 12-month period registered.
309	Class 5--110 feet or more in length....122.50 for each
310	12-month period registered.
311	(To county)....86.85 for each 12-month period registered.
312	Dealer registration certificate ....16.50 for each 12-month
313	period registered.
314
315	The county portion of the vessel registration fee is derived
316	from recreational vessels only.
317	(3)  ALIEN OR NONRESIDENT LICENSE FEE.--An additional
318	license fee of $50 for each 12-month period registered shall be
319	required of all aliens or nonresidents of the state on all
320	vessels not subject to a specific reciprocal agreement with
321	another state, which vessels are used for commercial purposes
322	and owned in whole or in part by such aliens or nonresidents.
323	Such fee shall be in addition to the vessel registration fee
324	required by this section.
325	(9)  SURCHARGE.--In addition, there is hereby levied and
326	imposed on each vessel registration fee imposed under subsection
327	(1) a surcharge in the amount of $1 for each 12-month period of
328	registration, which shall be collected in the same manner as the
329	fee and deposited into the State Agency Law Enforcement Radio
330	System Trust Fund of the Department of Management Services.
331	(12)  REGISTRATION.--
332	(a)  "Registration period" is a period of 12 months during
333	which a vessel registration is valid.
334	(b)  Any vessel owner who is subject to registration under
335	subparagraph (c)1. is eligible for an extended registration
336	period that begins the first day of the birth month of the owner
337	and ends the last day of the month immediately preceding the
338	owner's birth month 24 months after the beginning of the
339	registration period. If the vessel is registered in the name of
340	more than one person, the birth month of the person whose name
341	first appears on the registration shall be used to determine the
342	extended registration period. For a vessel subject to this
343	extended registration period, the renewal period is the 30-day
344	period ending at midnight on the vessel owner's date of birth.
345	"Renewal period" is a period of 30 days during which renewal of
346	a vessel registration is required, except as otherwise provided
347	by law.
348	(c)  The following registration periods and renewal periods
349	are established:
350	1.  For vessels owned by individuals, the registration
351	period begins the first day of the birth month of the owner and
352	ends the last day of the month immediately preceding the owner's
353	birth month in the succeeding year. If the vessel is registered
354	in the name of more than one person, the birth month of the
355	person whose name first appears on the registration shall be
356	used to determine the registration period. For a vessel subject
357	to this registration period, the renewal period is the 30-day
358	period ending at midnight on the vessel owner's date of birth.
359	2.  For vessels owned by companies, corporations,
360	governmental entities, and registrations issued to dealers and
361	manufacturers, the registration period begins July 1 and ends
362	June 30. The renewal period is the 30-day period beginning June
363	1.
364	Section 8.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2008.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.