Pennsylvania Act 2018-91 — VEHICLE CODE (75 PA.C.S.) - OMNIBUS AMENDMENTS

Act text

Session of 2018

No. 2018-91

HB 26

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration of vehicles, further providing for antique, classic and collectible plates and for special registration plates, providing for distracted driving awareness plate, further providing for special plates for veterans and providing for special plates for recipients of Soldier's Medal, for special plates for recipients of Presidential Service Badge and for special plates for veterans of an ally foreign country; and, in fees, further providing for exemption of persons, entities and vehicles from fees and for fee for local use.

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

Section 1. Section 1340(b) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to read:

§ 1340. Antique, classic and collectible plates.

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(a.2) Historic military vehicle plates.--In lieu of a special plate issued under subsection (a), the owner of a historic military vehicle may be issued by the department special plates for the vehicle which shall have the same force and effect as antique or classic registration plates. The applicant shall provide information as the department may require for processing the request and a $75 application fee.

(b) Use of plates.--It is unlawful for any person to operate a motorcycle or vehicle with antique, classic, vintage [or] , collectible or historic military vehicle registration plates for general daily transportation. Permitted use shall be limited to participation in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, occasional transportation and similar uses. Occasional transportation shall mean no more than one day per week.

(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "historic military vehicle" means an antique or classic vehicle, including a trailer, that was manufactured for use in any country's military forces and is maintained to represent the vehicle's military design and markings accurately.

Section 2. Section 1341(c) of Title 75 is amended to read:

§ 1341. Special registration plates.

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(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] an initial fee for authorization to request a registration plate bearing the name of the group[.] or an abbreviation of the group name desired by the organization and as approved by the department. Special groups with more than 2,000 organization registration plates may charge a renewal fee for authorization to renew a registration plate bearing the name of the group. The imposition or collection of initial or renewal fees for authorization to request or continue use of a special group's plate is at the special group's discretion and does not require any action by the department. 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 , motorcycle or motor home.

Section 3. Title 75 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 1358.2. Distracted Driving Awareness plate.

(a) Distracted Driving Awareness plate.--The department shall design a Distracted Driving Awareness registration plate. Upon application of any person, accompanied by a fee of $40, which shall be in addition to the registration fee, the department shall issue the plate for a motorcycle and a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds or a motor home. The fee shall be used exclusively to advance public education and outreach on the dangers posed by distracted driving, at the department's discretion.

(b) Expiration.--This section shall expire December 31, 2025.

Section 4. Section 1364 of Title 75 is amended by adding a subsection to read:

§ 1364. Special plates for veterans.

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(c) Honoring our women veterans.--Upon application of any person, accompanied by a fee of $35, which shall be in addition to the registration fee and by such documentation as the department shall require, the department shall issue to the person a special registration plate designating the vehicle as belonging to a person who is honoring women veterans of the armed forces of the United States. The special registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds. The Veterans' Trust Fund shall receive $15 of the fee paid by the applicant for the plate. The portion of the fee transferred to the Veterans' Trust Fund under this subsection shall be used for programs and resources that assist women veterans.

Section 5. Title 75 is amended by adding sections to read:

§ 1368.1. Special plates for recipients of Soldier's Medal.

Upon application of any person who is a recipient of the Soldier's Medal, accompanied by a fee of $20 which shall be in addition to the registration fee and by such documentation as the department shall require, the department shall issue to the person a special registration plate designating the vehicle so licensed as belonging to a person who is a recipient of the Soldier's Medal. The special registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

§ 1368.2. Special plates for recipients of Presidential Service Badge.

Upon application of any person who is a recipient of the Presidential Service Badge, accompanied by a fee of $20 which shall be in addition to the registration fee and by such documentation as the department shall require, the department shall issue to the person a special registration plate designating the vehicle so licensed as belonging to a person who is a recipient of the Presidential Service Badge. The special registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

§ 1369.3. Special plates for veterans of an ally foreign country.

Upon application of a person who was a citizen of a foreign country that allied with the United States in a military conflict and served in a military branch of that foreign country during the military conflict, accompanied by a fee of $20 which shall be in addition to the registration fee and by such documentation as the department shall require, the department shall issue to the person a special registration plate designating the vehicle so licensed as belonging to a person who is a veteran of a military branch of a foreign country that allied with the United States in a military conflict. The special registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

Section 6. Sections 1901(b)(2) and 1935(b) and (c) of Title 75 are amended to read:

§ 1901. Exemption of persons, entities and vehicles from fees.

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(b) Title and registration fees.--No fee shall be charged for titling or registration of any of the following:

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(2) Vehicles registered by volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance associations. For the purpose of this paragraph, the department shall exempt a volunteer EMS company, volunteer ambulance service and nonprofit emergency medical services agency that is a nonprofit chartered corporation, association or organization located in this Commonwealth, that is licensed by the Department of Health. The exemption shall not include a corporation, association or organization that is primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches that are intended for the routine transport of persons who are convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergency medical treatment while in transit. The department may not use any other method to determine volunteer status of these organizations.

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§ 1935. Fee for local use.

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(b) Levy.--Beginning after December 31, 2014, a county may, in its discretion, by ordinance, impose [a] an annual fee of $5 for each nonexempt vehicle registered to an address located in the county. A county shall notify the department of the passage of the ordinance 90 days prior to the effective date of the ordinance.

(c) Collection.--The department shall collect fees imposed under subsection [(a)] (b) at the time a vehicle is registered and shall deposit the money in the Fee for Local Use Fund.

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Section 7. The amendment of 75 Pa.C.S. § 1935(b) and (c) shall apply to registrations issued or renewed on or after the effective date of this section.

Section 8. This act shall take effect in 120 days.

APPROVED--The 24th day of October, A.D. 2018.

TOM WOLF