Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

67th Legislature                                                                                                         HB 266.1
                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 266
                                               INTRODUCED BY K. HOLMLUND
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   A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING LICENSE PLATE LAWS; EXEMPTING VEHICLES 25
   MODEL YEARS OLD OR OLDER FROM HAVING TO DISPLAY A FRONT LICENSE PLATE; AND
   AMENDING SECTION 61-3-301, MCA.”
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   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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              Section 1. Section 61-3-301, MCA, is amended to read:
              "61-3-301. Registration -- license plate required -- display. (1) (a) A person may not operate a
   motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer upon the public highways of Montana unless the
   motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer is properly registered and has the proper license
   plates conspicuously displayed on the motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer. A license
   plate must be securely fastened to prevent it from swinging and may not be obstructed from plain view.
              (b) (i) Except as provided in 61-4-120, 61-4-129, and subsections (1)(b)(ii) through (1)(b)(iv) of this
   section, all motor vehicles must have one license plate displayed on the front and one license plate displayed
   on the rear of the motor vehicle.
              (ii) A motorcycle, quadricycle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer must have a single license
   plate displayed on the rear of the vehicle.
              (iii) A custom vehicle or, a street rod registered under 61-3-320(1)(b) or (1)(c)(iii), or a motor vehicle
   that is 25 model years old or older may display a single license plate firmly attached to the rear exterior of the
   custom vehicle or, street rod, or motor vehicle that is 25 model years old or older.
              (iv) If a person is not able to comply with the requirement that a front license plate be displayed
   because of the body construction of the motor vehicle, the person may submit to the highway patrol an
   application for a waiver along with a $25 inspection fee. A certificate of waiver may be issued upon inspection
   of the vehicle by a highway patrol officer. If a certificate of waiver is issued, the certificate must at all times be
   carried in the motor vehicle and must be displayed upon demand of a peace officer. Money collected from the
                                                                    -1-                       Authorized Print Version – HB 266
67th Legislature                                                                                                           HB 266.1
   inspection fee must be deposited in a highway revenue account in the state special revenue fund to the credit
   of the department of transportation.
              (c)   A person may not display on a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer at the
   same time a number assigned to it under any motor vehicle law except as provided in this chapter.
              (d) A low-speed electric vehicle or a golf cart operated by a person with a low-speed restricted driver's
   license must have special license plates, as provided in 61-3-332(9), displayed on the front and rear of the
   vehicle.
              (2) A person may not purchase or display on a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel
   trailer a license plate bearing the number assigned to any county, as provided in 61-3-332, other than the
   county where the vehicle is domiciled or the county where the trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer is
   domiciled at the time of application for registration.
              (3) It is unlawful to:
              (a) display license plates issued to one motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer
   on any other motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer unless legally transferred as provided
   by statute; or
              (b) repaint old license plates to resemble current license plates.
              (4) For the purposes of this section, "conspicuously displayed" means that the required license plates
   are obviously visible and firmly attached to:
              (a) the front bumper and the rear bumper of a motor vehicle that is subject to subsection (1)(b)(i) and
   is equipped with front and rear bumpers; or
              (b) a clearly visible location on the rear of a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, travel trailer, or motor
   vehicle that is subject to subsections (1)(b)(ii) through (1)(b)(iv)."
                                                              - END -
                                                                     -2-                       Authorized Print Version – HB 266
Statutes affected: 
HB0266_1.pdf: 61-3-301
HB0266_2.pdf: 61-3-301
HB0266_X.pdf: 61-3-301
Amended: 61-3-301
Introduced: 61-3-301