H. B. 2786


(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss (By Request))

[Introduced March 7, 2001; referred to the

Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]





A BILL to amend and reenact section three, article ten, chapter seventeen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to providing for an option to renew a Class C trailer license on an annual basis.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That section three, article ten, 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 10. FEES FOR REGISTRATION, LICENSING, ETC.

 §17A-10-3. Registration fees for vehicles equipped with pneumatic tires.
The following registration fees for the classes indicated shall be paid to the division for the registration of vehicles subject to registration under this chapter when equipped with pneumatic tires:
(a) Registration fees for the following classes shall be paid to the division annually:
(1) Class A. -- The registration fee for all motor vehicles of this class is twenty-eight dollars and fifty cents: Provided, That the registration fees and any other fees required by this chapter for Class A vehicles under the optional biennial staggered registration system shall be multiplied by two and paid biennially to the division.
No license fee may be charged for vehicles owned by churches, or by trustees for churches, which are regularly used for transporting parishioners to and from church services. Notwithstanding the exemption, the certificate of registration and license plates shall be obtained the same as other cards and plates under this article.
(2) Class B. -- The registration fee for all motor vehicles of this class is as follows:
(A) For declared gross weights of eight thousand one pounds to sixteen thousand pounds -- twenty-eight dollars plus five dollars for each one thousand pounds or fraction of one thousand pounds that the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds eight thousand pounds.
(B) For declared gross weights greater than sixteen thousand pounds, but less than fifty-five thousand pounds -- seventy-eight dollars and fifty cents plus ten dollars for each one thousand pounds or fraction of one thousand pounds that the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds sixteen thousand pounds.
(C) For declared gross weights of fifty-five thousand pounds or more -- seven hundred thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents plus fifteen dollars and seventy-five cents for each one thousand pounds or fraction of one thousand pounds that the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds fifty-five thousand pounds.
(3) Class G. -- The registration fee for each motorcycle or parking enforcement vehicle is eight dollars.
(4) Class H. -- The registration fee for all vehicles for this class operating entirely within the state is five dollars; and for vehicles engaged in interstate transportation of persons, the registration fee is the amount of the fees provided by this section for Class B, reduced by the amount that the mileage of the vehicles operated in states other than West Virginia bears to the total mileage operated by the vehicles in all states under a formula to be established by the division of motor vehicles.
(5) Class J. -- The registration fee for all motor vehicles of this class is eighty-five dollars. Ambulances and hearses used exclusively as ambulances and hearses are exempt from the special fees set forth in this section.
(6) Class M. -- The registration fee for all vehicles of this class is seventeen dollars and fifty cents.
(7) Class farm truck. -- The registration fee for all motor vehicles of this class is as follows:
(A) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of eight thousand one pounds to sixteen thousand pounds -- thirty dollars.
(B) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of sixteen thousand one pounds to twenty-two thousand pounds -- sixty dollars.
(C) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of twenty-two thousand one pounds to twenty-eight thousand pounds -- ninety dollars.
(D) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of twenty-eight thousand one pounds to thirty-four thousand pounds -- one hundred fifteen dollars.
(E) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of thirty-four thousand one pounds to forty-four thousand pounds -- one hundred sixty dollars.
(F) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of forty-four thousand one pounds to fifty-four thousand pounds -- two hundred five dollars.
(G) For farm trucks of declared gross weights of fifty-four thousand one pounds to eighty thousand pounds -- two hundred fifty dollars: Provided, That the provisions of subsection (a), section eight, article one, chapter seventeen-e do not apply if the vehicle exceeds sixty-four thousand pounds and is a truck tractor or road tractor.
(b) Registration fees for the following classes shall be paid to the division for a maximum period of three years, or portion of a year based on the number of years remaining in the three-year period designated by the commissioner:
(1) Class R. -- The annual registration fee for all vehicles of this class is twelve dollars.
(2) Class T. -- The annual registration fee for all vehicles of this class is eight dollars.
(c) The fees paid to the division for a multiyear registration provided for by this chapter shall be the same as the annual registration fee established by this section and any other fee required by this chapter multiplied by the number of years for which the registration is issued.
(d) The registration fee for all Class C vehicles is fifty dollars. On or before the first day of July, two thousand, all Class C trailers shall be registered for the duration of the owner's interest in the trailer and do not expire until either sold or otherwise permanently removed from the service of the owner: Provided, That the owner shall have the option of an annual renewal of registration, in which case the registration fee shall be fifteen dollars. In the event the owner opts for an annual registration fee the registration is transferrable to another Class C trailer in the event the owner sells the trailer and purchases another within the applicable annual period.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for an annual registration for Class C trailers. The annual fee would be fifteen dollars and the registration would be transferrable to another Class C trailer if the owner sold the registered trailer and bought another Class C trailer.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.