HOUSE BILL NO. 2647 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE WILSON.
5897H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To repeal section 26.140, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to license plates for consular officers.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 26.140, RSMo, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu 2 thereof, to be known as sections 26.140 and 301.3064, to read as follows: 26.140. Whenever any consular officer shall have registered as such with the 2 Department of State of the United States and has been issued an exequatur or a diplomatic 3 note by the Department of State, the governor shall issue or cause to be issued to such 4 consular officer an identification card with a short statement of his or her rights and 5 privileges as such, identifying him or her as a consular officer for the country he or she 6 represents. "Consular officers", as used in this section, shall be deemed to include consuls 7 general, consuls, vice consuls, consular agents, honorary consuls, and none other. Such 8 consular officers are authorized to use a motor vehicle identification plate issued under 9 section 304.3064 identifying him or her as an official consular officer. Any person other 10 than a consular officer using such vehicle identification plate shall be guilty of a 11 misdemeanor. 301.3064. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the director 2 of revenue shall issue special motor vehicle license plates to any person who is a resident 3 of this state and who has been duly recognized by the United States Department of State 4 as a consular officer of a foreign government accredited to the United States. For 5 purposes of this section, "consular officer" shall have the meaning as ascribed to such 6 term in section 26.140.
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 2647 2
7 2. The plates shall not contain any wording identifying consular status, but shall 8 feature a navy blue background color and, upon request of the applicant and approval 9 of the director of revenue, a depiction of the national flag of the sending nation from 10 which the consular officer derives appointment. 11 3. Each plate issued under this section shall display a unique alphanumeric 12 identifier beginning with the letter "C" followed by no more than three digits, consistent 13 with the numbering format used for consular license plates under Missouri law and 14 department of revenue regulation. 15 4. Such plates shall be issued upon application, presentation of appropriate 16 credentials issued or recognized by the United States Department of State, and payment 17 of the established fees as determined by the director of revenue. 18 5. License plates issued under this section shall be made with fully reflective 19 material, shall meet the design and safety standards prescribed by the director of 20 revenue, and shall be clearly distinguishable from other plates issued by the state. 21 6. Any previously issued plates bearing the words "Honorary Consul" shall 22 remain valid until the next regular renewal, at which time such plates shall be reissued 23 in accordance with the provisions of this section. 24 7. The director of revenue may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to 25 administer this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 26 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become 27 effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, 28 if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any 29 of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to 30 delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held 31 unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or 32 adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: