GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	2 

SENATE BILL 426
Transportation Committee Substitute Adopted 4/22/97

Short Title:  Magistrates Special License Plates.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  Finance.

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March 19, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES ON COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES, AND TO PROVIDE SPECIAL MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION PLATES FOR MAGISTRATES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 20-63(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Every license plate shall have displayed upon it the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, the name of the State of North Carolina, which may be abbreviated, and the year number for which it is issued or the date of expiration. If the plate is issued for a commercial vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20-4.2(1), the word 'commercial,' designating 'commercial "vehicle' shall appear on the plate, unless the plate is a special registration plate authorized in G.S. 20-79.4. The Division may not issue a plate bearing the word 'commercial' for a trailer, or a vehicle licensed for 6,000 pounds or less.
A registration plate issued by the Division for a private passenger vehicle or for a private hauler vehicle licensed for 6,000 pounds or less shall be a 'First in Flight' plate.  A "First in Flight" plate shall have the words "First in Flight" printed at the top of the plate above all other letters and numerals.  The background of the plate shall depict the Wright Brothers biplane flying over Kitty Hawk Beach, with the plane flying slightly upward and to the right."
Section 2. G.S. 20-79.4(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	General. – Upon application and payment of the required registration fees, a person may obtain from the Division a special registration plate for a motor vehicle registered in that person's name if the person qualifies for the registration plate. A special registration plate, with the exception of a personalized registration plate, may not be issued for a vehicle registered under the International Registration Plan. A special registration plate may be issued for a commercial vehicle that is not registered under the International Registration Plan.  A holder of a special registration plate who becomes ineligible for the plate, for whatever reason, must return the special plate within 30 days."
Section 3.  G.S. 20-79.4(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(14a)	Magistrates. – Issuable to a current North Carolina magistrate.  The plate shall bear the letters 'MJ' followed by a number.  The number shall indicate the district court district the magistrate serves followed by a hyphen and a number indicating the seniority of the magistrate.  Magistrates from district court districts 9 and 9B shall receive plates with the number '9' as the designation for their district."
Section 4.  This act becomes effective January 1, 1998, and applies to new or renewal registrations occurring on or after that date.