Minnesota Session Laws - 1983, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1983 

                         CHAPTER 19--S.F.No. 31
           An act relating to motor vehicles; providing for 
          special license plates for amateur radio station 
          licensees; providing for personalized license plates 
          for motorcycles; amending Minnesota Statutes 1982, 
          section 168.12, subdivisions 2 and 2a. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 168.12, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [AMATEUR RADIO STATION LICENSEE; SPECIAL LICENSE 
PLATES.] Any applicant who is an owner or joint owner of a motor 
vehicle passenger automobile, van or pickup truck, or a 
self-propelled recreational vehicle, and a resident of this 
state, and who holds an official amateur radio station license, 
or a citizens radio service class D license, in good standing, 
issued by the Federal Communications Commission shall upon 
compliance with all laws of this state relating to registration 
and the licensing of motor vehicles and drivers, be furnished 
with license plates for the motor vehicle, as prescribed by law 
for passenger cars, upon which, in lieu of the numbers required 
for identification under subdivision 1, shall be inscribed the 
official amateur call letters of the applicant, as assigned by 
the Federal Communications Commission.  The applicant shall pay 
in addition to the registration tax required by law, the sum of 
$10 for the special license plates, and at the time of delivery 
of the special license plates the applicant shall surrender to 
the registrar the current license plates issued for the motor 
vehicle.  This provision for the issue of special license plates 
shall apply only if the applicant's passenger automobile vehicle 
is already registered in Minnesota so that the applicant has 
valid regular Minnesota plates issued for that passenger 
automobile vehicle under which to operate it during the time 
that it will take to have the necessary special license plates 
made.  If the applicant owns or jointly owns more than one motor 
vehicle of the type specified in this subdivision he may apply 
for special plates for each of not more than two vehicles, and, 
if each application complies with this subdivision, the 
registrar shall furnish the applicant with the special plates, 
inscribed with the official amateur call letters and other 
distinguishing information as the registrar considers necessary, 
for each of the two vehicles.  And the registrar may make 
reasonable regulations governing the use of the special license 
plates as will assure the full compliance by the owner and 
holder of the special plates, with all existing laws governing 
the registration of motor vehicles, the transfer and the use 
thereof.  When the ownership of a motor vehicle for which 
special license plates have been furnished by the registrar, 
changes from one person to another, the special license plates 
herein authorized shall be promptly removed from the motor 
vehicle by the seller and returned to the registrar, at which 
time the seller or the buyer of the motor vehicle shall be 
entitled to receive license plates for the motor vehicle as 
provided in section 168.15. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 168.12, 
subdivision 2a, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2a.  [PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATES.] Personalized 
license plates shall be issued to any applicant for registration 
of a passenger automobile, station wagon, van or pickup truck 
with a gross weight of 9,000 pounds or less, motorcycle, or 
self-propelled recreational vehicle, upon compliance with all 
laws of this state relating to registration of the vehicle, and 
upon payment of a fee of $100 in addition to the registration 
tax required by law for the vehicle.  In lieu of the numbers 
assigned as provided in subdivision 1, personalized license 
plates shall have imprinted thereon a series of not to exceed 
any combination of six numbers and letters.  When an applicant 
has once obtained personalized plates, the applicant shall have 
a prior claim for similar personalized plates in the next 
succeeding year that plates are issued if application is made 
for them at least 30 days prior to the first date on which 
registration can be renewed.  The commissioner of public safety 
shall adopt rules and regulations in the manner provided by 
chapter 14, regulating the issuance and transfer of personalized 
license plates.  No words or combination of letters placed on 
personalized license plates may be used for commercial 
advertising or be of an obscene, indecent or immoral nature, or 
that would offend public morals or decency.  The call signals or 
letters of a radio or television station shall not be construed 
as commercial advertising for the purposes of this subdivision. 
    Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 1, 
personalized license plates issued pursuant to this subdivision 
may be transferred to another motor vehicle upon the payment of 
a fee of $5, which fee shall be paid into the state treasury and 
credited to the highway user tax distribution fund.  The 
registrar may by regulation provide a form for notification. 
    The fee prescribed for personalized license plates shall be 
paid only in those years in which the number plate itself is 
issued, and shall not be payable in any year in which a year 
plate, tab or sticker is issued in lieu of a number plate. 
    All fees from the sale of personalized license plates shall 
be paid into the state treasury and credited to the highway user 
tax distribution fund. 
    Approved April 6, 1983