H. B. 3236
(By Delegates Sobonya, Hrutkay, Tucker and Klempa)
[Introduced January 9, 2008; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §17A-3-16 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to motorcycle registration renewal;
exempting motorcycles from the requirement of annual
registration.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17A-3-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-16. Expiration of registration and certificates of title.
(a) Every vehicle registration under this chapter and every
registration card and registration plate issued under this chapter
expires at midnight on the last day of the month designated by the
commissioner:
Provided, That the commissioner may extend the
period during which the registration plates may be used.
Certificates of title need not be renewed annually but remain
valid until canceled by the division for cause or upon a transfer
of any interest shown in the vehicle.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or of any
provision of this chapter, the commissioner shall adopt a
staggered registration system whereby the registration of Class A
or Class G motor vehicles is for a period of twelve consecutive
calendar months, the expiration dates of the registrations to be
staggered throughout the year:
Provided, That on or after the
first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, the
commissioner shall also offer an optional two-year registration
system, whereby the registration of all vehicles shall be for a
period of twenty-four consecutive calendar months, the expiration
dates of the registrations to be staggered throughout the year.
Under this option, all annual fees due at the time of registration
shall be multiplied by two.
(1) On or after the first day of July, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-seven, all Class A
and effective on the first day
of July, two thousand seven, Class G motor vehicles as defined in
section one, article ten of this chapter, shall be registered for
a period of twelve or twenty-four consecutive calendar months.
There hereby are established twelve registration periods, each of
which shall start on the first day of each calendar month of the
year and shall end on the last day of the twelfth month from date of beginning. The period ending on the thirty-first day of
January is designated the first period; that ending on the
twenty-eighth (twenty-ninth) day of February is designated the
second; that ending on the thirty-first day of March is designated
the third; that ending on the thirtieth day of April is designated
the fourth; that ending on the thirty-first day of May is
designated the fifth; that ending on the thirtieth day of June is
designated the sixth; that ending on the thirty-first day of July
is designated the seventh; that ending on the thirty-first day of
August is designated the eighth; that ending on the thirtieth day
of September is designated the ninth; that ending on the
thirty-first day of October is designated the tenth; that ending
on the thirtieth day of November is designated the eleventh; and
that ending on the thirty-first day of December is designated the
twelfth.
(2) All Class A
or Class G motor vehicles, which are operated
for the first time upon the public highways of this state to and
including the fifteenth day of any given month are subject to
registration and payment of the fee for the twelve or
twenty-four-month period commencing the first day of the month of
operation. All Class A
or Class G motor vehicles operated for the
first time upon the public highways of this state on and after the
sixteenth day of any given month are subject to registration and
payment of fee for the twelve or twenty-four-month period commencing the first day of the month of the next following
calendar month.
(c) On or before the first day of July, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-six, all Class T and Class R vehicles shall be
registered for a maximum period of three years or portion thereof
based on the number of years remaining in the three-year period
designated by the commissioner.
(d) On or before the first day of July, two thousand, all
Class C trailers shall be registered for the duration of the
owner's interest in the trailer and shall not expire until either
sold or otherwise permanently removed from the service of the
owner.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow the registration
of motorcycles for twenty-four months.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that
would be added.