Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 44
Ì817170ÆÎ817170
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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The Committee on Transportation (Rodriguez) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 40 - 51
4 and insert:
5 as provided in chapter 318. A person may not knowingly use a
6 license plate obscuring device as defined in s. 320.262(1) or
7 apply or attach a substance, reflective matter, illuminated
8 device, spray, coating, covering, or other material onto or
9 around any license plate which interferes with the legibility,
10 angular visibility, or detectability of any feature or detail on
11 the license plate or interferes with the ability to record any
12 feature or detail on the license plate. A person who so
13 interferes with a license plate commits a misdemeanor of the
14 second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
15 775.083 violates this section commits a noncriminal traffic
16 infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in
17 chapter 318.
18 Section 3. Section 320.262, Florida Statutes, is created to
19 read:
20 320.262 License plate obscuring device prohibited;
21 penalties; enhanced penalties for license plate offenses.—
22 (1) For purposes of this section, the term “license plate
23 obscuring device” means a manual, electronic, or mechanical
24 device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle
25 which:
26 (a) Switches between two or more license plates for the
27 purpose of allowing a motor vehicle operator to change the
28 license plate displayed on the motor vehicle;
29 (b) Hides a license plate from view by flipping the license
30 plate so that the license plate number is not visible;
31 (c) Covers, obscures, or otherwise interferes with the
32 legibility, angular visibility, or detectability of any feature
33 or detail on the license plate; or
34 (d) Interferes with the ability to record any feature or
35 detail on the license plate.
36 (2) A person may not purchase or possess a license plate
37 obscuring device. A person who violates this subsection commits
38 a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
39 775.082 or s. 775.083.
40 (3) A person may not manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or
41 otherwise distribute a license plate obscuring device. A person
42 who violates this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the first
43 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
44 (4)(a) A person who, during the commission of any other
45 crime, knowingly violates s. 320.061 or s. 320.261 commits a
46 felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082
47 or s. 775.083.
48 (b) A person who violates paragraph (a) is subject to
49 enhanced penalties for the other crime as follows:
50 1. A misdemeanor of the second degree shall be punished as
51 if it were a misdemeanor of the first degree.
52 2. A misdemeanor of the first degree shall be punished as
53 if it were a felony of the third degree.
54 3. A felony of the third degree shall be punished as if it
55 were a felony of the second degree.
56 4. A felony of the second degree shall be punished as if it
57 were a felony of the first degree.
58 5. A felony of the first degree shall be punished as if it
59 were a life felony.
60 Section 4. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025.
61
62 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
63 And the title is amended as follows:
64 Delete lines 6 - 11
65 and insert:
66 felony; amending s. 320.061, F.S.; prohibiting a
67 person from knowingly using a license plate obscuring
68 device; providing criminal penalties; reclassifying
69 the offense of interfering with the legibility,
70 angular visibility, or detectability of any feature or
71 detail on a license plate or interfering with the
72 ability to record any feature on a license plate as a
73 misdemeanor of the second degree; creating s. 320.262,
74 F.S.; defining the term “license plate obscuring
75 device”; prohibiting the purchase, possession,
76 manufacture, sale, offering for sale, or distribution
77 of a license plate obscuring device; providing
78 criminal penalties; providing criminal penalties for
79 using a license plate obscuring device, knowingly
80 attaching to a motor vehicle a license plate that was
81 not assigned or transferred to the motor vehicle,
82 altering the original appearance of a license plate,
83 or interfering with the legibility, angular
84 visibility, or detectability of any feature or detail
85 on a license plate during the commission of a crime;
86 providing criminal penalty enhancements for a crime
87 committed while using a license plate obscuring
88 device, knowingly attaching to a motor vehicle a
89 license plate that was not assigned or transferred to
90 the motor vehicle, altering the original appearance of
91 a license plate, or interfering with the legibility,
92 angular visibility, or detectability of any feature or
93 detail on a license plate; providing an effective
94 date.