Bill Text: DE HB388 | 2009-2010 | 145th General Assembly | Draft

Delaware House Bill 388 (Prior Session Legislation)

Draft

Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 21 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Registration Of Motor Vehicles.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2010-07-02 - Signed by Governor [HB388 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2009-HB388-Draft.html

SPONSOR:	Rep. Hudson & Rep. Mitchell & Sen. Blevins ;
	Reps. D. Short, Hocker, Kovach, Lee, Manolakos, Gilligan, Q. Johnson, Viola, Walls, Wilson; Sens. Simpson, Booth, Peterson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 388

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1.Amend §2102 of Title 21 of the Delaware Code by striking subsections (a) and (b) of said section in their entireties and substituting in lieu thereof new subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

"(a) Every owner of a motor vehicle, trailer, or other vehicle shall, within 60 days after taking up residence in this State, apply to the Secretary and obtain registration for the vehicle.Vehicle owners who have apportioned power units registered in Delaware under the International Registration Plan are exempt from the requirement to register their trailers in accordance with the International Registration Plan agreement.Members of the military and their families who have vehicles registered in their home state are also exempt from this requirement.

(b) Whoever violates subsection (a) of this section shall be fined for the first offense not less than $400 nor more than $600.For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $800 nor more than $1,200, or imprisoned not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days, or both.".

SYNOPSIS

This bill increases the penalties for vehicle owners who are not complying with Delaware law by not registering their vehicles after establishing residency in Delaware.The current fine of $25 provides no incentive for vehicle owners to register their vehicles in Delaware.This results in the loss of a significant amount of revenue.The exemption on trailers for vehicle owners registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) is a result of the IRP agreement Delaware signed with all other jurisdictions.Members of the military and their families are exempted by federal law from having to register vehicles in states in which they are temporarily stationed.