H. B. 2354


(By Delegates Varner, Stemple, Kominar, Warner,

Shelton, Butcher and Ferrell)


[Introduced January 16, 2003; referred to the

Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]




A BILL to amend and reenact section fifteen, article three, chapter seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to registration plates for motorcycles; allowing for plates to be fastened in vertical position; and requiring the commissioner of the division of motor vehicles to offer owners of motorcycles the choice of registration plates for vertical or horizontal positioning.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section fifteen, article three, chapter seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-15. Display of registration plates.

(a) Registration plates issued for vehicles required to be registered hereunder under this article shall be attached to the rear thereof of the vehicles except that on truck tractors and road tractors designed and constructed to pull trailers or semitrailers, the registration plate shall be mounted to the front.
(b) Every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than twelve inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of such the plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained free from foreign materials and in a condition to be clearly legible.
 (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, a registration plate on a motorcycle may be fastened in vertical position if it is designed for vertical positioning. The commissioner shall offer owners of motorcycles the choice of registration plates for vertical or horizontal positioning.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow registration plates for motorcycles to be fastened in vertical position and to require the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles to offer owners of motorcycles the choice of registration plates for vertical or horizontal positioning.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.