BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1618
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 30, 2003

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                              Darrell Steinberg, Chair

                  AB 1618 (Firebaugh) - As Amended:  April 9, 2003 

          Policy Committee:                              Transportation  
          Vote:        14-6

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill prohibits, starting January 1, 2005, delivery of a  
          motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, that is not equipped  
          with a front license plate bracket.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          No direct fiscal impact to state agencies.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  The author argues that some new cars are not  
            equipped with a front license plate bracket to accommodate the  
            license plate that must be mounted on the front of the car  
            after both it and the rear license plate arrive from the DMV.   
            The author believes this omission contributes to the  
            misconception that motorists are only required to display a  
            plate on the rear of a car.
           
          2)License Plate Law  .  Current law requires DMV to issue two  
            license plates to the registered owner of a new motor vehicle,  
            one of which must be attached to the front and the other to be  
            attached to the back of the vehicle.  Unless the owner of a  
            new motor vehicle that is sold without a front mounting  
            license plate bracket is aware of the current two plate  
            requirement, he or she may assume it is okay to just mount the  
            rear plate.  The CHP estimates 40,000 citations were issued in  
            2002 to motorists driving motor vehicles with no front-mounted  
            license plate.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916)  








                                                                  AB 1618
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          319-2081