Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 55 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Harper, W.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/19/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires a waiver of a fine for a violation for failure to display license plates or registration decals if:
• the vehicle was properly registered at the time of the citation; and
• the person cited provides evidence, within 21 business days, that the license plates and decals have been properly displayed; and
• allows a year decal to be displayed over or in place of the previous year sticker.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
House Sponsor: 
Eric K. Hutchings
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill requires a waiver of a fine for a violation for failure to display the decals if the
vehicle was properly registered at the time of the citation.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires a waiver of a fine for a violation for failure to display license plates or
registration decals if:
• the vehicle was properly registered at the time of the citation; and
• the person cited provides evidence, within 21 business days, that the license
plates and decals have been properly displayed; and
▸ allows a year decal to be displayed over or in place of the previous year sticker.
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 2016, Chapter 102
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 statehood centennial license plate with the same color, design, and slogan as the
plates issued in conjunction with the statehood centennial;
(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
(ii) have a color and design approved by the 57th Legislature in the 2007 General
Session that features:
(A) a skier with the "Greatest Snow on Earth" slogan; or
(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;
(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);
(g) decals issued for motorcycles shall be applied to the upper corner of the license
plate opposite the word "Utah"; and
(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 
or in place of
 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)
 A violation of this section is an infraction.
(b) A court shall waive a fine for a violation under this section if:
(i) the registration for the vehicle was current at the time of the citation; and
(ii) the person to whom the citation was issued provides, within 21 business days,
evidence that the license plate and decals are properly displayed in compliance with this
section.