Pennsylvania Act 2014-23 — VEHICLE CODE (75 PA.C.S.) - OMNIBUS AMENDMENTS

Act text

Session of 2014

No. 2014-23

HB 770

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration of vehicles, further providing for lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate and for special registration plates generally and providing for personal organization registration plates and for Appalachian Trail organization registration plates; in financial responsibility, further providing for required financial responsibility; in rules of the road in general, further providing for maximum speed limits; and, in size, weight and load, further providing for conditions of permits and security for damages.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Sections 1333(b.1) and 1341 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 1333. Lost, stolen, damaged or illegible registration plate.

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(b.1) Illegible registration plate.--The department may reissue a registration plate upon request by a registrant when it is determined by an authorized representative of the department or law enforcement that the registration plate is illegible from a reasonable distance. The department may select the style of the reissued registration plate and, except in the case of personal registration plates issued under section 1341 (relating to special registration plates [generally]), the registration plate number.

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§ 1341. Special registration plates [generally].

(a) General rule.-- Upon request by the applicant, the department may issue registration plates consisting of any combination of numbers, letters or numbers and letters. [These special plates may be issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an appropriate designation. Special groups may charge a fee for authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name of the group.] They shall have the same force and effect as regular registration plates. The department may refuse any combination of letters and numbers for cause and shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the issuance of the plates and for carrying out the provisions of this section. The applicant shall comply with all laws and regulations pertaining to registration including the payment of any additional fees.

(b) Personal registration plates.--Upon request by the applicant, the department is authorized to issue personal registration plates. The department is authorized to reissue a combination of numbers or letters for a personal plate if the department records reveal that no activity, such as renewal or transfer of the personal registration plate, has occurred for a period of five or more consecutive years and provided that the personal registration plate was never reported as lost or stolen. Whenever the department reissues an inactive personal plate, the department may purge its records of all references to the previous owners of that personal plate. The department shall, however, note upon its records the reissuance of the personal plate and to whom the plate was issued. [The special] A personal registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck , with a registered gross weight of not more than [10,000] 14,000 pounds , motorcycle, trailer or motor home .

(c) Organization registration plates.--Upon request by the applicant, the department is authorized to issue organization registration plates. Organization registration plates may be issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an appropriate designation. Special groups may charge a fee for authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name of the group. If the vehicle is licensed to a business that is not a member of the special group, the department shall issue the plate as long as the business owner or officer making application is a member of that group. An organization registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck, with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds , trailer or motor home.

Section 2. Title 75 is amended by adding sections to read:

§ 1341.1. Personal organization registration plates.

(a) General rule.--The department may, upon application of any person and upon payment of the additional fee under this section, issue a personal organization registration plate to applicants for special registration plates authorized in this chapter.

(b) Additional fee.--

(1) The department shall collect an additional fee of $100 for personal organization registration plates issued under subsection (a).

(2) For any personal plate issued under sections 1338 (relating to person with disability plate and placard) and 1342 (relating to veteran plates and placard), the department shall collect only an additional fee of $50.

§ 1352.1. Appalachian Trail organization registration plates.

(a) General rule.--The department, in consultation with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, shall design a special Appalachian Trail organization registration plate. The plate, at a minimum, shall contain the image of a hiker and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy logo and distinctive coloring. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy may charge a fee for the authorization to request the registration plate. Upon request by the applicant, the department shall issue the plate for a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or a motor home. The fee provided under section 1931 (relating to personal registration plates) shall apply.

(b) Proceeds.--It is the intent of the General Assembly that proceeds received by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy under this section are to be used exclusively for trail maintenance and improvement.

Section 3. Section 1786(h)(2) of Title 75 is amended to read:

§ 1786. Required financial responsibility.

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(h) Reinstatement of voluntarily surrendered registration plate and card.--

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(2) Any registration plate issued under sections 1340 (relating to antique and classic plates) and 1341 (relating to [personal plate] special registration plates ) shall be returned by the department to the owner of the motor vehicle upon receipt of proof of financial responsibility.

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Section 3.1. Sections 3362(a)(1.1) and 4962(f.3) introductory paragraph of Title 75, amended or added November 25, 2013 (P.L.974, No.89), are amended to read:

§ 3362. Maximum speed limits.

(a) General rule.--Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with section 3361 (relating to driving vehicle at safe speed), the limits specified in this section or established under this subchapter shall be maximum lawful speeds and no person shall drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of the following maximum limits:

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(1.1) 65 miles per hour or 70 miles per hour for all vehicles on freeways where the department has posted a 65- miles-per-hour or 70-miles-per-hour speed limit.

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§ 4962. Conditions of permits and security for damages.

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(f.3) Additional authorized travel periods.--[With respect to oversized vehicles (over-length, over-width or over-height)] Except as otherwise provided under this title , a permitted vehicle, combination or load which is oversized (over-length, over-width or over-height), overweight or both oversized and overweight may operate under a permit from sunrise to sunset every day of the week, except as follows:

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Section 4. This act shall take effect as follows:

(1) The following provisions shall take effect immediately:

(i) The amendment of 75 Pa.C.S. §§ 3362(a)(1.1) and 4962(f.3).

(ii) This section.

(2) The remainder of this act shall take effect in 120 days.

APPROVED--The 19th day of March, A.D. 2014.

TOM CORBETT