As Introduced

132nd General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 698

2017-2018

A BILL

To amend sections 4503.47, 4503.471, 4503.71, and 4503.711 of the Revised Code to eliminate the Bureau of Motor Vehicles administrative fee for nonstandard license plates related to firefighters and police officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 4503.47, 4503.471, 4503.71, and 4503.711 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 4503.47. (A) Any person who is a volunteer firefighter may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of one passenger car or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar the person owns or leases. The application shall be accompanied by such written evidence as the registrar may require by rule, that the person is a volunteer firefighter.

Upon receipt of an application for the registration of a passenger car or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar under this section and presentation of satisfactory evidence of such volunteer firefighter status, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code. In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with the letters "F.D." inside a Maltese cross emblem. The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license fees as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code and any local motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and upon the payment of an additional fee of ten dollars for issuance under this section. The fee shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of such license plates, and shall be transmitted by the registrar to the treasurer of state for deposit in the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code. No person shall apply for more than one set of volunteer firefighter license plates annually.

The chief of a fire department or the fire chief shall immediately notify the registrar whenever any person under the chief's supervision is no longer a volunteer firefighter.

Whenever a person is no longer eligible to be issued volunteer firefighter license plates, the person shall surrender the volunteer firefighter license plates to the bureau in exchange for plates without the "F.D." emblem. A fee of five dollars shall be charged for the services required in the issuing of replacement plates when an individual is no longer eligible to be issued volunteer firefighter license plates.

Application for volunteer firefighter license plates may be made, and such license plates and replacement plates shall be issued, at any time of year.

No person who is not a volunteer firefighter shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a volunteer firefighter for the purpose of obtaining volunteer firefighter license plates under this section. No person shall own a vehicle bearing such license plates unless the person is eligible to be issued such license plates.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Sec. 4503.471. (A) Any person who is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the person owns or leases and the issuance of international association of firefighters license plates. The application shall be accompanied by the written evidence that the registrar may require by rule showing that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters. The application for international association of firefighters license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a vehicle under this section and presentation of satisfactory evidence showing that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registrations, sets of license plates and validation stickers, or validation stickers alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, international association of firefighters license plates shall be inscribed with a Maltese cross emblem designed by the international association of firefighters and approved by the registrar. International association of firefighters license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license fee as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, and payment of any local motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code~~, and payment of an additional fee of ten dollars for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of license plates under this section~~. If the application for international association of firefighters license plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plate and validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of the fees and taxes contained in this division and the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. ~~The registrar shall deposit the additional fee of ten dollars in the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.~~

Whenever a person no longer is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates, the person shall surrender the international association of firefighters license plates to the bureau in exchange for license plates without the Maltese cross emblem described in this section. A fee of five dollars shall be charged for the services required in the issuing of replacement plates when a person no longer is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates.

A person may make application for international association of firefighters license plates at any time of year, and the registrar shall issue international association of firefighters license plates and replacement plates at any time of year.

(B) No person who is not a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters for the purpose of obtaining international association of firefighters license plates under this section. No person shall own or lease a vehicle bearing international association of firefighters license plates unless the person is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates.

Sec. 4503.71. (A) The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles who also is a member in good standing of the fraternal order of police may apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and issuance of fraternal order of police license plates. The application for fraternal order of police license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application, presentation by the applicant of the required evidence that the applicant is a member in good standing of the fraternal order of police, and compliance by the applicant with this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of fraternal order of police license plates with a validation sticker or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed thereon, fraternal order of police license plates shall be inscribed with identifying words and a symbol or logo designed by the fraternal order of police of Ohio, incorporated, and approved by the registrar. Fraternal order of police license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

Fraternal order of police license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license fee required by section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, ~~payment of a fee of ten dollars,~~ and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles. If the application for fraternal order of police license plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plates and validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of the fees and taxes contained in this section and the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. ~~The fee of ten dollars~~ shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of fraternal order of police license plates, and shall be transmitted by the registrar to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

(B) For each application for registration and registration renewal the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall collect an additional fee of two dollars. The registrar shall transmit this additional fee to the treasurer of state for deposit in the license plate contribution fund created in section 4501.21 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.711. (A) The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles who is a member in good standing of the fraternal order of police associates of Ohio, inc., may apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and issuance of fraternal order of police associate license plates. The application for fraternal order of police associate license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application, presentation by the applicant of the required evidence that the applicant is a member in good standing of the fraternal order of police associates of Ohio, inc., and compliance with division (B) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of fraternal order of police associate license plates with a validation sticker or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed thereon, fraternal order of police associate license plates shall be inscribed with identifying words or markings designed by the fraternal order of police of Ohio, inc., and approved by the registrar. Fraternal order of police associate plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) The registrar shall issue a set of fraternal order of police associate license plates with a validation sticker or a validation sticker alone upon receipt of a contribution as provided in division (C) of this section and upon payment of the regular license fees prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, ~~an additional fee of ten dollars for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of the fraternal order of police associate license plates,~~ payment of any applicable motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles. If the application for fraternal order of police associate license plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plate and validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of the contribution, fees, and taxes contained in this division and the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

(C) For each application for registration and registration renewal the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall collect a contribution of fifteen dollars. The registrar shall transmit this contribution to the treasurer of state for deposit in the license plate contribution fund created in section 4501.21 of the Revised Code.

The registrar shall transmit the additional fee of ten dollars specified in division (B) of this section to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing sections 4503.47, 4503.471, 4503.71, and 4503.711 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.