H 4634 General Bill, By Hinson, Umphlett, Howard, Leach, M.A. Pitts, 
Scarborough and Simrill

Similar(S 1047)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-5400, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
 SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES ONLY TO ACTIVE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING, TO PROVIDE A
 PERSON ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHO CEASES TO BE A
 MEMBER MUST SURRENDER HIS LICENSE PLATE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR
 KNOWINGLY FAILING TO SURRENDER THE LICENSE PLATE.

   02/09/06  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-7
   02/09/06  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-7

TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-5400, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES ONLY TO ACTIVE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING, TO PROVIDE A PERSON ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHO CEASES TO BE A MEMBER MUST SURRENDER HIS LICENSE PLATE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR KNOWINGLY FAILING TO SURRENDER THE LICENSE PLATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 56-3-5400(A) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 54 of 2005, is amended to read:

"(A)    The department may issue Fraternal Order of Police special license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who are active members in good standing of the Fraternal Order of Police. Identification of current membership must be presented at the time of application. The fee for each special license plate is thirty dollars every two years in addition to the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. 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."

SECTION    2.    Section 56-3-5400 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 54 of 2005, is amended by adding at the end:

"(E)    A person issued a special license plate pursuant to this section who ceases to be a member of the Fraternal Order of Police must surrender his license plate to the department. A person who knowingly fails to surrender his license plate pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined twenty-five dollars."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.