H. B. 2669
(By Delegate Warner)
[Introduced February 5, 1999; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section twenty-three, article three,
chapter seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to
license plates for county sheriffs' departments.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section twenty-three, article three, chapter
seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-23. Registration plates to state, county, municipal and
other governmental vehicles; use for undercover activities.
Any motor vehicle designed to carry passengers, owned or
leased by the state of West Virginia or any of its departments,
bureaus, commissions or institutions, except vehicles used by the
governor, treasurer, three plates per elected office of the board
of public works, vehicles operated by the state police, vehicles
operated by conservation officers of the division of natural
resources, not to exceed ten vehicles operated by the arson
investigators of the office of state fire marshal and not to
exceed sixteen vehicles operated by inspectors of the office of
the alcohol beverage control commissioner, may not be operated or
driven by any person unless it has displayed and attached to the
front thereof, in the same manner as regular motor vehicle
registration plates are attached, a plate of the same size as the
regular registration plate, with white lettering on a green
background bearing the words "West Virginia" in one line and the
words "State Car" in another line, and the lettering for the
words "State Car" shall be of sufficient size to be plainly
readable from a distance of one hundred feet during daylight.
The vehicle shall also have attached to the rear a plate
bearing a number and any other words and figures as the
commissioner of motor vehicles shall prescribe prescribes. The
rear plate shall also be green with the number in white.
On registration plates issued to vehicles owned by counties,
the color shall be white on red with the word "County" on top of the plate and the words "West Virginia" on the bottom: Provided,
That registration plates issued to vehicles operated by county
sheriffs' departments shall be of such colors and design as
designated by the commissioner of motor vehicles in consultation
with the West Virginia sheriffs association. On any registration
plates issued to a city or municipality, the color shall be white
on blue with the word "City" on top, and the words "West
Virginia" on the bottom. The colors may not be reversed and
shall be of reflectorized material. The registration plates
issued to counties, municipalities and other governmental
agencies authorized to receive colored plates hereunder shall be
affixed to both the front and rear of the vehicles. The
registration plates issued to county sheriffs' departments shall
be affixed to both the front and rear of the vehicle.
The commissioner is authorized to designate the colors and
design of any other registration plates that are issued without
charge to any other agency in accordance with the motor vehicle
laws.
Upon application and payment of fees, the commissioner is
authorized to issue a maximum of five Class A license plates per
applicant to be used by county sheriffs and municipalities on
law-enforcement vehicles while engaged in undercover
investigations.
The commissioner is authorized to issue an unlimited number of license plates per applicant to authorized drug and violent
crime task forces in the state of West Virginia when the
chairperson of the control group of a drug and violent crime task
force signs a written affidavit stating that the vehicle or
vehicles for which the plates are being requested will be used
only for official undercover work conducted by a drug and violent
crime task force.
The commissioner is authorized to issue twenty Class A
license plates to the criminal investigation division of the
department of tax and revenue for use by its investigators.
The commissioner may issue a maximum of ten Class A license
plates to the division of natural resources for use by
conservation officers. The commissioner shall designate the
color and design of the registration plates to be displayed on
the front and the rear of all other state-owned vehicles owned by
the division of natural resources and operated by conservation
officers.
No other registration plate may be issued for, or attached
to, any state-owned vehicle.
The commissioner of motor vehicles shall have a sufficient
number of both front and rear plates produced to attach to all
state-owned cars. The numbered registration plates for the
vehicles shall start with the number "five hundred" and the
commissioner shall issue consecutive numbers for all state-owned cars.
It is the duty of each office, department, bureau, commission
or institution furnished any vehicle to have plates as described
herein affixed thereto prior to the operation of the vehicle by
any official or employee.
Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall
be is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall
be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred
dollars.
Magistrates shall have concurrent jurisdiction with circuit
and criminal courts for the enforcement of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize license
plates for county sheriffs' departments as designated by the
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in consultation with the West
Virginia Sheriffs' Association.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that
would be added.