SENATE BILL 335
46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004
INTRODUCED BY
Nancy Rodriguez
AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; CHANGING REQUIREMENTS FOR DISPLAY OF REGISTRATION PLATES; IMPOSING A FEE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] FRONT AND REAR REGISTRATION PLATES--FEES.--
A. All vehicles that are registered by the department on or after July 1, 2004 shall display a set of front and rear registration plates issued by the department. Registration plates shall be displayed in accordance with Section 66-3-18 NMSA 1978.
B. When two registration plates are issued for use upon a vehicle, the department shall collect a fee of two dollars ($2.00), which shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee. The fee collected pursuant to this subsection shall be retained by the department to defray the cost of manufacture and issuance of the front plate.
C. The provisions of Subsections A and B of this section do not apply to road tractors and truck tractors."
Section 2. Section 66-3-18 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 38, as amended) is amended to read:
"66-3-18. DISPLAY OF REGISTRATION PLATES AND TEMPORARY PERMITS AND PLATES--DISPLAYS PROHIBITED AND ALLOWED.--
A. [The registration plate shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle for which it is issued; however, the registration plate shall be attached to the front of a road tractor or truck tractor. The plate] When two registration plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued and one plate shall be attached to the front of the vehicle, while the other shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. When only one registration plate is issued for use upon a vehicle, the registration plate shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Not more than one registration plate shall be issued by the department for use upon a road tractor or a truck tractor, and that registration plate shall be attached to the front of the road tractor or truck tractor.
B. A registration plate shall be securely fastened at all times in a fixed horizontal position. The rear registration plate shall be mounted at a height of not less than twelve inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of the plate. [It] The front license plate shall be mounted not more than sixty inches from the ground. A registration plate shall be in a place and position so as to be clearly visible, and it shall be maintained free from foreign material and in a condition to be clearly legible.
[B.] C. Except for temporary demonstration plates, temporary permits shall be firmly affixed to the inside left rear window of the vehicle to which it is issued, unless such display presents a safety hazard or the temporary permit is not visible or readable from that position, in which case, the temporary permit shall be displayed in such a manner that it is clearly visible from the rear or left side of the vehicle. Temporary demonstration plates shall be displayed as provided for in Subsection A of this section.
[C.] D. No vehicle while being operated on the highways of this state shall have displayed either on the front or the rear of the vehicle any registration plate, including tab or sticker, other than one issued or validated for the current registration period by the department or any other licensing authority having jurisdiction over the vehicle. No expired registration plate, tab or sticker shall be displayed on the vehicle other than an expired special registration plate, which may be exhibited on the front of the vehicle.
[D.] E. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of a promotional or advertising plate on the front of the vehicle."
Section 3. Section 66-3-104 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 51, as amended) is amended to read:
"66-3-104. USE OF PLATE AND REGISTRATION NUMBER ON ANOTHER VEHICLE--TRANSFER OF REGISTRATION.--
A. When the owner of a registered vehicle assigns title or interest to the vehicle, the registration of that vehicle expires, unless the vehicle is registered for an extended registration period and the owner applies to have the registration number assigned to another vehicle as provided in Subsection B of this section.
B. When the owner of a registered vehicle assigns title or interest to the vehicle, he shall remove and retain [the] all registration [plate] plates from the vehicle and, within thirty days of the transfer, either make application to have the registration number assigned to another vehicle of the same class or forward the [plate] plates to the department or its authorized agent to be destroyed. The transfer of [the] registration [plate] plates shall be permitted only if the application for transfer is made in the name of the original registered owner unless the owner's name has been changed by marriage, divorce or court order.
C. [The] Registration [plate] plates shall not be displayed upon the newly acquired vehicle until the registration of the vehicle has been completed and a new registration certificate issued. However, the temporary retail-sale permit issued for the vehicle by the dealer pursuant to the provisions of Section 66-3-6 NMSA 1978 may be securely attached to the plate to be transferred and displayed in accordance with Subsection A of Section 66-3-18 NMSA 1978."
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