Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #:     CS/CS/HB 915 Commercial Motor Vehicle Registration
SPONSOR(S): Commerce Committee, Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee, Melo and others
TIED BILLS:       IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 1582
    REFERENCE                                                   ACTION                  ANALYST            STAFF DIRECTOR or
                                                                                                           BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
    1) Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee            15 Y, 0 N, As CS        Johnson            Keating
    2) Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations                  14 Y, 0 N               Hicks              Davis
       Subcommittee
    3) Commerce Committee                                       20 Y, 0 N, As CS        Johnson            Hamon
                                           SUMMARY ANALYSIS
Under current law, each commercial motor vehicle (CMV) registered under the International Registration Plan
(IRP) must pay a $28 fee annually for a new license plate along with a cab card denoting its declared vehicle
weight.
Beginning July 1, 2024, the bill requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to
issue a license plate valid for three years to vehicles registered under the IRP. At the end of the three-year
period, the plate must be replaced upon renewal. Each license plate must include a validation sticker reflecting
the month that the plate expires. Under the bill, an annually issued cab card, including payment of a $28
annual fee, is still required. The bill provides that the $28 annual fee must be deposited into the Highway
Safety Operating Trust Fund and authorizes DHSMV to replace a damaged or worn license plate at no cost to
an applicant surrendering the current license plate.
The bill will likely have an insignificant positive impact on DHSMV expenditures due to the CMV license plate
renewal cycle changing from an annual renewal to a three-year renewal cycle. There is no change in annual
revenues.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2022.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
STORAGE NAME: h0915d.COM
DATE: 2/24/2022
                                                         FULL ANALYSIS
                                                 I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
    A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
         Current Situation
         The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a reciprocity agreement among states of the United States,
         the District of Columbia and provinces of Canada which recognizes the registration of commercial
         motor vehicles (CMVs) 1 registered by other jurisdictions. The plan provides for payment of apportioned
         licensing fees based on the total distance operated in all member jurisdictions. 2
         Current law requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), upon receipt of
         an application and payment of the appropriate fees, to issue to a vehicle owner or lessee a certificate of
         registration and a license plate.3 License plates are issued for a ten-year period and must be replaced
         upon renewal at the end of the ten-year period. The fee for license plate replacement is $28, $2.80 of
         which is paid each year before the plate is replaced, and such fees must be deposited into the Highway
         Safety Operating Trust Fund. A validation sticker must also be issued, reflecting the owner’s birth
         month, license plate number, and the year of expiration, or the appropriate renewal period if the owner
         is not a natural person.4
         CMVs registered in accordance with the IRP,5 known as “apportioned vehicles,”6 are issued an annual
         license plate, as well as a cab card denoting the declared gross vehicle weight for each apportioned
         jurisdiction in which the vehicle is authorized to operate. 7 The $28 license plate replacement fee is paid
         annually upon initial registration and subsequent renewal and includes issuance of a cab card.
         Effect of the Bill
         The bill removes, effective June 30, 2024, the requirement that DHSMV issue an annual license plate
         to vehicles registered under the IRP.
         The bill provides that effective July 1, 2024, DHSMV must issue a license plate valid for three years to
         vehicles registered under the IRP. The license plate must be replaced upon renewal at the end of the
         three-year period and, as under current law, each license plate must include a validation sticker
         reflecting the month that the license plate expires.
         Under the bill, an annually issued cab card, including payment of a $28 annual fee, is still required. The
         $28 fee must be deposited into Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund.
         Finally, the bill provides that if the license plate is damaged or worn, the license plate may be replaced
         at no charge by applying to DHSMV and surrendering the current license plate.
         The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2022.
1 Section 320.01(25), F.S., defines the term “commercial motor vehicle’ to mean any vehicle not owned or operated by a governmental
entity, which uses special fuel or motor fuel on the public highways, and which has a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds o r more, or
has three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,001 po unds
gross vehicle weight.
2 International Registration Plan, Inc., Welcome to IRP, Inc. https://www.irponline.org/ (las t visited Nov. 3, 2021).
3 Section 320.06(1)(a), F.S. See s. 320.0706, F.S., for license plate display requirements for commercial trucks with a gross vehicle
weight of 26,001 pounds or more, and for dump trucks and truck tractors.
4 Section 320.06(1)(b), F.S.
5 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers, International Registration Plan, available at
https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/commercial-motor-vehicle-drivers/international-registration-plan/ (last visited Jan 28,
2022).
6 Section 320.0715(1), F.S., requires all apportionable vehicles domiciled in this state to be registered in accordance with th e
International Registration Plan and to display license plates.
7 Section 316.06(1)(b), F.S.
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DATE: 2/24/2022
   B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
       Section 1:     Amends s. 320.06, F.S., relating to registration certificates, license plates, and validation
                      stickers generally.
       Section 2:     Provides an effective date.
                        II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
   A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
       1. Revenues:
           None.
       2. Expenditures:
           DHSMV will likely see an insignificant reduction in expenditures associated with changing the
           issuance of CMV license plates from an annual renewal to a three-year renewal cycle, effective July
           1, 2024.
   B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
       1. Revenues:
           None.
       2. Expenditures:
           None.
   C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
   D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
       None.
                                               III. COMMENTS
   A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
       1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
         Not applicable. This bill does not appear to impact county or municipal governments.
       2. Other:
         None
   B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
       This bill does not require or authorize rulemaking.
   C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
       None
                           IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
On February 3, 2022, the Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee considered a proposed committee
substitute and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The proposed committee substitute:
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DATE: 2/24/2022
      Removed provisions providing that a motor carrier’s requirement to add certain safety improvements to
       a vehicle may not be considered when evaluating an individual’s status as an employee or independent
       contractor.
      Authorized CMVs registered under the IRP to replace their license plates once every three years.
      Authorized CMV license plates to be replaced free of charge if, prior to the end of the three-year
       replacement period, they become damaged or worn.
On February 23, 2023, the Commerce Committee adopted one amendment and reported the bill favorably as a
committee substitute. The amendment changed the start date of the three-year license plate replacement
period from January 1, 2024, to July 1, 2024.
This analysis is drafted to the committee substitute as approved by the Commerce Committee.
STORAGE NAME: h0915d.COM                                                                              PAGE: 4
DATE: 2/24/2022
Statutes affected: 
H 915 c1: 320.06
H 915 c2: 320.06
H 915 er: 320.06