Assembly Bill 483 mandates that any municipal or county vehicle registration fee, commonly referred to as a wheel tax, can only be imposed if it receives approval from a majority of voters in a referendum held during a regularly scheduled election. This bill amends current law, which allows local governing bodies to enact such fees without voter approval. The new provision requires that municipalities or counties proposing to impose a registration fee must conduct a referendum, and the fee can only be implemented if the majority of voters support it. Additionally, any registration fees that were imposed prior to the bill's enactment must also be approved by voters in a referendum within 18 months of the bill becoming law.

The bill includes specific language changes, such as the amendment of section 341.35 (1) to clarify that the governing body of a municipality or county may only impose a registration fee subject to the new referendum requirement established in section 341.35 (1g). This section outlines the process for the referendum, including the required question format and the timeline for implementation based on voter approval. If a registration fee is not approved in the referendum, the municipality or county will be prohibited from imposing any registration fee thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 341.35(1), 341.35