Revised June 29, 2007

2002 Legislation and Tax Law Changes – Motor Vehicles

HB 4 Motorboating and Boating Under the Influence Provisions
HB 31 License Plate Requirements
HB 118 Special License Plates for Search and Rescue Teams
HB 171 Low-speed Electric Vehicles on Certain Highways
HB 172 Vehicle Safety Inspection Amendments
HB 281 Regulation of Personal Motorized Mobility Devices
SB 6 Application for Vehicle Title Amendments
SB 15 Organ Donation Checkoff
SB 173 Motor Vehicle Registration for Fleets

HB 4 Motorboating and Boating Under the Influence Provisions

Effective July 1, 2002

Increases the administrative impound fee for a boat impounded for boating under the influence from $25 to $200. This matches the administrative impound fee imposed for vehicles impounded for DUI.

HB 31 License Plate Requirements

Effective May 6, 2002

Eliminates the county designation decal from license plates.

HB 118 Special License Plates for Search and Rescue Teams

Effective October 1, 2002

Authorizes a special group license plate for current members of a search and rescue team; imposes an additional $5 fee for the original purchase of the plates (no additional fee for the renewal).

HB 171 Low-speed Electric Vehicles on Certain Highways

Effective October 1, 2002

Defines a low-speed vehicle and considers it a motor vehicle for all purposes, including titling, registration, license plates, property tax, and fuel tax; restricts a low-speed vehicle to certain low-speed streets; exempts a low-speed vehicle from emission inspections.

HB 172 Vehicle Safety Inspection Amendments

Effective January 1, 2003

Decreases the frequency of required vehicle safety inspections from every 2 years for vehicles less than 5 years old to every 2 years for vehicles less than 8 years old; decreases the frequency of required emissions inspections, to the extent allowed under the federally approved state implementation plan for air quality, to require emissions inspections every 2 years for vehicles that are less than 6 years old; increases fees for safety and emissions inspections.

HB 281 Regulation of Personal Motorized Mobility Devices

Effective May 6, 2002

Defines and exempts personal motorized mobility devices from vehicle registration and insurance requirements.

SB 6 Application for Vehicle Title Amendments

Effective May 6, 2002

Provides that only one owner of a motor vehicle, and not all owners, must sign the title application.

SB 15 Organ Donation Checkoff

Effective July 1, 2002

Authorizes voluntary checkoff contribution of $2 on motor vehicle registrations for purposes of organ donation; creates organ donation contribution account.

SB 173 Motor Vehicle Registration for Fleets

Provides that if a motor vehicle is part of a fleet of 101 or more vehicles, the safety inspection may be obtained 11 (not 2) months prior to the vehicle’s registration renewal.