Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 127 First Substitute (2016GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Peterson, V.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/21/2016

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• adds the In God We Trust license plate as one of the standard options available; and
• removes the In God We Trust license plate from the list of special group license plates.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LICENSE PLATE OPTIONS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Val L. Peterson
Senate Sponsor: 
____________
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill designates the In God We Trust license plate as one of the standard issue
license plates.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ adds the In God We Trust license plate as one of the standard options available; and
▸ removes the In God We Trust license plate from the list of special group license
plates.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
41-1a-402
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
41-1a-418
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 37
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
41-1a-402
 is amended to read:
41-1a-402.
Required colors, numerals, and letters -- Expiration.
(1) Each license plate shall have displayed on it:
(a) the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued;
(b) the name of the state; and
(c) a registration decal showing the date of expiration displayed in accordance with
Subsection (6).
(2) If registration is extended by affixing a registration decal to the license plate, the
expiration date of the decal governs the expiration date of the license plate.
(3) Except as provided in Subsection (4), each original license plate that is not one of
the special group license plates issued under Section 
41-1a-418
 shall be [
a
]:
(a) 
a
 statehood centennial license plate with the same color, design, and slogan as the
plates issued in conjunction with the statehood centennial; [
or
]
(b) 
a
 Ski Utah license plate[
.
]
; or
(c) an In God We Trust license plate.
(4) Beginning on the date that the division determines the existing inventories of
statehood centennial license plates and Ski Utah license plates are exhausted, each license plate
that is not one of the special group license plates issued under Section 
41-1a-418
 shall:
(a) 
(i)
 display the "Life Elevated" slogan; and
[
(b)
] 
(ii)
 have a color and design approved by the 57th Legislature in the 2007 General
Session that features:
[
(i)
] 
(A)
 a skier with the "Greatest Snow on Earth" slogan; or
[
(ii)
] 
(B)
 Delicate Arch[
.
]
; or
(b) be an In God We Trust license plate.
(5) (a) Except as provided under Subsection 
41-1a-215
(2), license plates shall be
renewed annually.
(b) (i) The division shall issue the vehicle owner a month decal and a year decal upon
the vehicle's first registration with the division.
(ii) The division shall issue the vehicle owner only a year decal upon subsequent
renewals of registration to validate registration renewal.
(6) The decals issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be applied as follows:
(a) for license plates issued beginning in 1974 through 1985, decals displayed on
license plates with black lettering on a white background shall be applied to the lower left-hand
corner of the rear of the license plate vehicles;
(b) decals displayed on statehood centennial license plates and on Ski Utah license
plates issued in accordance with Subsection (3) shall be applied to the upper left-hand corner of
the rear license plate;
(c) decals displayed on special group license plates issued in accordance with Section
41-1a-418
 shall be applied to the upper right-hand corner of the license plate unless there is a
plate indentation on the upper left-hand corner of the license plate;
(d) decals displayed on license plates with the "Life Elevated" slogan issued in
accordance with Subsection (4) shall be applied in the upper left-hand corner for the month
decal and the upper right-hand corner for the year decal;
(e) decals displayed on license plates with the "In God We Trust" slogan issued in
accordance with Subsection (4)(b) shall be applied in the upper right-hand corner of the rear
license plate unless there is a plate indentation on the upper left-hand corner of the license
plate;
[
(e)
] 
(f)
 decals issued for truck tractors shall be applied to the front license plate in the
position described in Subsection (6)(a), (b), or (d);
[
(f)
] 
(g)
 decals issued for motorcycles shall be applied to the upper corner of the license
plate opposite the word "Utah"; and
[
(g)
] 
(h)
 decals displayed on license plates issued under Section 
41-1a-416
 shall be
applied as appropriate for the year of the plate.
(7) (a) The month decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be displayed on
the license plate in the left position.
(b) The year decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be displayed on the
license plate in the right position.
(8) The current year decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be placed
over the previous year decal.
(9) If a license plate, month decal, or year decal is lost or destroyed, a replacement shall
be issued upon application and payment of the fees required under Section 
41-1a-1211
 or
41-1a-1212
.
(10) A violation of this section is an infraction.
Section 2. Section 
41-1a-418
 is amended to read:
41-1a-418.
Authorized special group license plates.
(1) The division shall only issue special group license plates in accordance with this
section through Section 
41-1a-422
 to a person who is specified under this section within the
categories listed as follows:
(a) disability special group license plates issued in accordance with Section 
41-1a-420
;
(b) honor special group license plates, as in a war hero, which plates are issued for a:
(i) survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor;
(ii) former prisoner of war;
(iii) recipient of a Purple Heart;
(iv) disabled veteran; or
(v) recipient of a gold star award issued by the United States Secretary of Defense;
(c) unique vehicle type special group license plates, as for historical, collectors value,
or other unique vehicle type, which plates are issued for:
(i) a special interest vehicle;
(ii) a vintage vehicle;
(iii) a farm truck; or
(iv) (A) until Subsection (1)(c)(iv)(B) or (4) applies, a vehicle powered by clean fuel as
defined in Section 
59-13-102
; or
(B) beginning on the effective date of rules made by the Department of Transportation
authorized under Subsection 
41-6a-702
(5)(b) and until Subsection (4) applies, a vehicle
powered by clean fuel that meets the standards established by the Department of Transportation
in rules authorized under Subsection 
41-6a-702
(5)(b);
(d) recognition special group license plates, which plates are issued for:
(i) a current member of the Legislature;
(ii) a current member of the United States Congress;
(iii) a current member of the National Guard;
(iv) a licensed amateur radio operator;
(v) a currently employed, volunteer, or retired firefighter until June 30, 2009;
(vi) an emergency medical technician;
(vii) a current member of a search and rescue team; 
or
(viii) a current honorary consulate designated by the United States Department of
State; [
or
]
[
(ix) an individual that wants to recognize and honor American freedoms and values
through an In God We Trust license plate;
]
(e) support special group license plates, as for a contributor to an institution or cause,
which plates are issued for a contributor to:
(i) an institution's scholastic scholarship fund;
(ii) the Division of Wildlife Resources;
(iii) the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs;
(iv) the Division of Parks and Recreation;
(v) the Department of Agriculture and Food;
(vi) the Guardian Ad Litem Services Account and the Children's Museum of Utah;
(vii) the Boy Scouts of America;
(viii) spay and neuter programs through No More Homeless Pets in Utah;
(ix) the Boys and Girls Clubs of America;
(x) Utah public education;
(xi) programs that provide support to organizations that create affordable housing for
those in severe need through the Division of Real Estate;
(xii) the Department of Public Safety;
(xiii) programs that support Zion National Park;
(xiv) beginning on July 1, 2009, programs that provide support to firefighter
organizations;
(xv) programs that promote bicycle operation and safety awareness;
(xvi) programs that conduct or support cancer research;
(xvii) programs that create or support autism awareness;
(xviii) programs that create or support humanitarian service and educational and
cultural exchanges;
(xix) programs that conduct or support prostate cancer awareness, screening, detection,
or prevention;
(xx) programs that support and promote adoptions;
(xxi) programs that create or support civil rights education and awareness; or
(xxii) programs that support issues affecting women and children through an
organization affiliated with a national professional men's basketball organization.
(2) (a) The division may not issue a new type of special group license plate unless the
division receives:
(i) (A) a private donation for the start-up fee established under Section 
63J-1-504
 for
the production and administrative costs of providing the new special group license plates; or
(B) a legislative appropriation for the start-up fee provided under Subsection
(2)(a)(i)(A); and
(ii) beginning on January 1, 2012, and for the issuance of a support special group
license plate authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
, at least 500 completed applications for the new
type of support special group license plate to be issued with all fees required under this part for
the support special group license plate issuance paid by each applicant.
(b) (i) Beginning on January 1, 2012, each participating organization shall collect and
hold applications for support special group license plates authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
 on or
after January 1, 2012, until it has received at least 500 applications.
(ii) Once a participating organization has received at least 500 applications, it shall
submit the applications, along with the necessary fees, to the division for the division to begin
working on the design and issuance of the new type of support special group license plate to be
issued.
(iii) Beginning on January 1, 2012, the division may not work on the issuance or design
of a new support special group license plate authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
 until the
applications and fees required under this Subsection (2) have been received by the division.
(iv) The division shall begin issuance of a new support special group license plate
authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
 on or after January 1, 2012, no later than six months after
receiving the applications and fees required under this Subsection (2).
(c) (i) Beginning on July 1, 2009, the division may not renew a motor vehicle
registration of a motor vehicle that has been issued a firefighter recognition special group
license plate unless the applicant is a contributor as defined in Subsection
41-1a-422
(1)(a)(ii)(D) to the Firefighter Support Restricted Account.
(ii) A registered owner of a vehicle that has been issued a firefighter recognition
special group license plate prior to July 1, 2009, upon renewal of the owner's motor vehicle
registration shall:
(A) be a contributor to the Firefighter Support Restricted Account as required under
Subsection (2)(c)(i); or
(B) replace the firefighter recognition special group license plate with a new license
plate.
(3) (a) Beginning on July 1, 2011, if a support special group license plate type
authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
 and issued on or after January 1, 2012, has fewer than 500
license plates issued each year for a three consecutive year time period that begins on July 1,
the division may not issue that type of support special group license plate to a new applicant
beginning on January 1 of the following calendar year after the three consecutive year time
period for which that type of support special group license plate has fewer than 500 license
plates issued each year.
(b) If the division is required to stop the issuance of a type of support special group
license plate authorized in Section 
41-1a-422
 under this Subsection (3), the division shall
report to the Transportation Interim Committee that the division will stop the issuance on or
before the November interim meeting of the year in which the commission determines to stop
the issuance of that type of support special group license plate.
(4) Beginning on July 1, 2011, the division may not issue to an applicant a unique
vehicle type license plate for a vehicle powered by clean fuel under Subsection (1)(c)(iv).
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel