Bill Text: VA SB1174 | 2019 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Tinting films; exemption for security canine handlers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-03-19 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0623) [SB1174 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-SB1174-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §46.2-1052 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§46.2-1052. Tinting films, signs, decals, and stickers on windshields, etc.; penalties.
A. As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Front side windows" means those windows located adjacent to and forward of the driver's seat;
"Holographic effect" means a picture or image that may remain constant or change as the viewing angle is changed;
"Multipurpose passenger vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is (i) designed to carry no more than 10 persons and (ii) constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use;
"Prism effect" means a visual, iridescent, or rainbow-like effect that separates light into various colored components that may change depending on viewing angle;
"Rear side windows" means those windows located to the rear of the driver's seat;
"Rear window" or "rear windows" means those windows that are located to the rear of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and that are approximately parallel to the windshield.
B. Except as otherwise provided in this article or permitted by federal law, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle on a highway with any sign, poster, colored or tinted film, sun-shading material, or other colored material on the windshield, front or rear side windows, or rear windows of such motor vehicle. This provision, however, shall not apply to any certificate or other paper required by law or permitted by the Superintendent to be placed on a motor vehicle's windshield or window.
The size of stickers or decals used by counties, cities, and towns in lieu of license plates shall be in compliance with regulations promulgated by the Superintendent. Such stickers shall be affixed on the windshield at a location designated by the Superintendent.
B. C. Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this section, whenever a motor vehicle is equipped
with a mirror on each side of such vehicle, so located as to reflect to the
driver of such vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear
of such vehicle, any or all of the following shall be lawful:
1. To drive a motor vehicle equipped with one optically grooved clear plastic right-angle rear view lens attached to one rear window of such motor vehicle, not exceeding 18 inches in diameter in the case of a circular lens or not exceeding 11 inches by 14 inches in the case of a rectangular lens, which enables the driver of the motor vehicle to view below the line of sight as viewed through the rear window;
2. To have affixed to the rear side windows, rear window or windows of a motor vehicle any sticker or stickers, regardless of size; or
3. To drive a motor vehicle when the driver's clear view of the highway through the rear window or windows is otherwise obstructed.
C. D. Except
as provided in §46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of
this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any
window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror
on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of
the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such
vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in
accordance with the following:
1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of the Commonwealth that reduce the total light transmittance of such window to less than 35 percent;
2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of the Commonwealth that reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than 50 percent;
3. No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle that (i) have a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent or (ii) produce a holographic or prism effect.
Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth with sun-shading or tinting films that (i) have a total light transmittance less than that required by subdivisions 1 and 2, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects is guilty of a traffic infraction but shall not be awarded any demerit points by the Commissioner for the violation.
Any person or firm who applies or affixes to the windows of any motor vehicle in Virginia sun-shading or tinting films that (i) reduce the light transmittance to levels less than that allowed in subdivisions 1 and 2, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding 20 percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for the first offense and of a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense.
D. E. The
Division of Purchases and Supply, pursuant to §2.2-1112, shall determine the
proper standards for equipment or devices used to measure light transmittance
through windows of motor vehicles. Law-enforcement officers shall use only such
equipment or devices to measure light transmittance through windows that meet
the standards established by the Division. Such measurements made by
law-enforcement officers shall be given a tolerance of minus seven percentage
points.
E. F. No film
or darkening material may be applied on the windshield except to replace the
sunshield in the uppermost area as installed by the manufacturer of the
vehicle.
F. G. Nothing
in this section shall prohibit the affixing to the rear window of a motor
vehicle of a single sticker no larger than 20 square inches if such sticker is
totally contained within the lower five inches of the glass of the rear window,
nor shall subsection B C apply to a motor vehicle to
which but one such sticker is so affixed.
G. H. Nothing
in this section shall prohibit applying to the rear side windows or rear window
of any multipurpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck sun-shading or tinting
films that reduce the total light transmittance of such window or windows below
35 percent.
H. As used in this
article:
"Front side
windows" means those windows located adjacent to and forward of the
driver's seat;
"Holographic
effect" means a picture or image that may remain constant or change as the
viewing angle is changed;
"Multipurpose
passenger vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is (i) designed to carry
no more than 10 persons and (ii) constructed either on a truck chassis or with
special features for occasional off-road use;
"Prism
effect" means a visual, iridescent, or rainbow-like effect that separates light
into various colored components that may change depending on viewing angle;
"Rear side
windows" means those windows located to the rear of the driver's seat;
"Rear
window" or "rear windows" means those windows which are located
to the rear of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and which are
approximately parallel to the windshield.
I. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, sun-shading material which was applied or installed prior to July 1, 1987, in a manner and on which windows not then in violation of Virginia law, shall continue to be lawful, provided that it can be shown by appropriate receipts that such material was installed prior to July 1, 1987.
J. Where a person is convicted within one year of a second or subsequent violation of this section involving the operation of the same vehicle having a tinted or smoked windshield, the court, in addition to any other penalty, may order the person so convicted to remove such tinted or smoked windshield from the vehicle.
K. The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement vehicles.
L. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the rear windows or rear side windows of any emergency medical services vehicle used to transport patients.
M. The provisions of subdivisions D 1, 2, and 3 shall not apply to vehicles operated in the performance of private security duties by a security canine handler as defined in §9.1-138 and licensed in accordance with §9.1-139.
N. The
provisions of subdivision C D 1 shall not apply to sight-seeing carriers as defined
in §46.2-2000 and contract passenger carriers as defined in §46.2-2000.
N. O. For any
summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its
discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is
provided to the court on or before the court date.
