House Amendment 1
H 4674 - Session 125 (2023-2024)
License plates
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Rep. Gilliam proposes the following amendment (LC-4674.CM0010H):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by striking Section 56-3-15020 and inserting:

 Section 56-3-15020. The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Hearing Impaired" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or motorcycles registered in their names who are hearing impaired. The application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include an original certificate from a licensed physician, as defined in Section 40-75-5, that certifies that the applicant has a permanent, uncorrectable hearing loss of forty decibels or more in one or both ears. The fee for each special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design. Each special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 3, by striking Section 56-3-16000(B) and inserting:

 (B) This special license plate must be the same size and general design as regular motor vehicle license plates. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 5, by striking the undesignated paragraph and inserting:

Article 151

Catawba Nation Special License Plates

Amend the bill further, SECTION 5, by striking Section 56-3-16010 and inserting:

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Catawba Nation" special license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period that expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.
 (B) The Catawba Nation shall submit to the department for approval the design, emblem, seal, logo, or other symbols it desires to be used for this special license plate. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design.
 (C) This special license plate is exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
 (D) The biennial fee for each special license plate is forty dollars plus the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. The forty-dollar fee must be distributed to the Catawba Nation.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 6, by striking Section 56-3-16110 and inserting:

 Section 56-3-16110. The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Cherokee Indian Nation" special license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles or motorcycles registered in their names. Only members of the Cherokee Indian Nation are eligible to receive a license plate produced pursuant to this section. A member of the Cherokee Indian Nation applying for the license plate must produce with the license plate application an official document from the Cherokee Indian Nation verifying membership. The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design. The biennial fee for this plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title plus an additional fee of thirty dollars. Any portion of the additional thirty-dollar fee not set aside by the Comptroller General to defray costs of production and distribution must be distributed to the to the Museum of the Cherokee in Oconee County.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 7, by striking Section 56-3-16210(B) and inserting:

 (B) This special license plate must be the same size and general design as regular motor vehicle license plates. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 8, by striking Section 56-3-14210(B) and inserting:

 (B) The University of South Carolina may submit to the department for its approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it desires to be used for its respective special license plate. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 8, by striking Section 56-3-14210(E) and inserting:

 (E) The department must issue to registrants who have a license plate commemorating only the 2017 Women's Basketball National Championship or only the 2017 and 2022 Women's Basketball National Championships, the license plate commemorating both the 2017, and 2022, and 2024 national championship championships once both the 2017 and the 2017 and 2022 license plate plates reaches reach the end of its their ten-year lifecycle lifecycles. This subsection does not apply to registrants who choose to switch to the "2017 and, 2022, and 2024" license plate on their own.

Amend the bill further, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:

SECTION X. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Article 60

Autistic and Neurodivergent Special License Plates

 Section 56-3-7100. The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "Autistic and Neurodivergent" special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who are autistic or neurodivergent or who are parents of children who are autistic or neurodivergent. The application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include an original certificate from a licensed physician that certifies the applicant or his child is autistic or neurodivergent. The fee for each special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5. Each special license plate must be of the same size and general design of regular motor vehicle license plates and contain the "Just Bee" icon as identification for autistic or neurodivergent individuals. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.

SECTION X. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Article 154

South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation Special License Plates

 Section 56-3-16310. (A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue "South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation" special license plates. Each special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period that expires twenty-four months from the month the special license plate is issued.
 (B) The South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation shall submit to the department for approval the design, emblem, seal, logo, or other symbols it desires to be used for this special license plate. The department may issue this special license plate six months following approval of its design.
 (C) The requirements for production, collection, and distribution of fees for a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements in Section 56-3-8100.
 (D) The biennial fee for each special license plate is twenty-five dollars plus the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. The twenty-five-dollar fee must be distributed to the South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation.


SECTION X. Section 56-3-14910(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of valorous awards for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
  (1) Medal of Honor- Army
  (2) Medal of Honor- Navy
  (3) Medal of Honor- Air Force
  (4) Distinguished Service Cross- Army
  (5) Distinguished Service Cross- Navy
  (6) Distinguished Service Cross- Air Force
  (7) South Carolina Medal of Valor
  (8) Silver Star
  (9) Bronze Star (with valor)
  (10) Soldier's Medal
  (11) Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

SECTION X. Section 56-3-14990 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 56-3-14990. (A) Upon the death of an award recipient, a surviving spouse may apply to the department for a license plate issued under the provisions of Section 56-3-14910, 56-3-14920, or 56-3-14930(A)(3). The surviving spouse may apply to the department to transfer a license plate previously issued to the award recipient under the provisions of Section 56-3-14910, 56-3-14920, or 56-3-14930(A)(3) pursuant to Section 56-3-210(G). The surviving spouse must turn the plate into the department when the surviving spouse is no longer eligible for surviving spouse military benefits.
 (B) Upon the death of a member of the National Guard, a surviving spouse may apply to the department for a license plate issued under the provisions of Section 56-3-14970(A) (10), (11), or (12). The surviving spouse may apply to the department to transfer a license plate previously issued to a member of the National Guard under the provisions of Section 56-3-14970(A) (10), (11), or (12) pursuant to Section 56-3-210(G). The surviving spouse must turn the plate into the department when the surviving spouse is no longer eligible for surviving spouse National Guard benefits.