00 SENATE BILL NO. 226 01 "An Act relating to biennial registration of motor vehicles; imposing biennial 02 registration fees on motor vehicles and authorizing a scheduled biennial municipal 03 tax on motor vehicles; relating to fees for motor vehicle emissions control 04 programs; and providing for an effective date." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. AS 28.10.108(b) is amended to read: 07  (b) Subject to the provisions of (f) of this section, a vehicle subject to 08 registration 09  (1) under AS 28.10.011 and 28.10.421(b)(3) and (4) and (c)(1) - (4) 10 shall have its initial registration, and may have its biennial [ANNUAL] registration, 11 renewed during the month of December; 12  (2) under AS 28.10.181, 28.10.411, and 28.10.421(d)(3) and (8) [(9)] 13 shall have its initial registration, and may have its biennial [ANNUAL] registration, 14 renewed during the month of January. 01 * Sec. 2. AS 28.10.108(c) is amended to read: 02  (c) A vehicle subject to registration and not described in (b) of this section 03 shall have its initial registration, and may have its biennial [ANNUAL] registration, 04 renewed in the month of initial registration in the state, subject to the provisions of (f) 05 of this section. 06 * Sec. 3. AS 28.10.108(d) is amended to read: 07  (d) A registered vehicle retains the same biennial [ANNUAL] expiration date 08 regardless of the ownership of the vehicle. 09 * Sec. 4. AS 28.10.108(f) is amended to read: 10  (f) Upon request of the owner and payment of the proportionate prorated 11 applicable fees, a vehicle registered under this section shall have its registration period 12 extended in monthly increments to allow biennial [ANNUAL] registration to occur in 13 the month of the owner's choice. 14 * Sec. 5. AS 28.10.111(b) is amended to read: 15  (b) The department may receive an application for the renewal of vehicle 16 registration and issue a new certificate of registration at any time before the expiration 17 of the biennial [ANNUAL] registration as prescribed in regulations adopted by the 18 commissioner. Nothing in this section prevents the commissioner from providing for 19 a longer [MULTI-YEAR] registration period; however, a person may not display the 20 new registration plates on a vehicle before a date which may be set by the 21 commissioner. 22 * Sec. 6. AS 28.10.411(a) is amended to read: 23  (a) For every year during any part of which a vehicle is subject to registration 24 under this chapter, a registration fee shall be paid to the department at the time of 25 original registration and at each biennial [ANNUAL] renewal of registration after that 26 time. 27 * Sec. 7. AS 28.10.411(f) is amended to read: 28  (f) A resident 65 years of age or older on January 1 of the year the vehicle is 29 registered is entitled to an exemption once each biennial registration period 30 [CALENDAR YEAR] from the registration fee required under this section for one 31 motor vehicle subject to registration under AS 28.10.421(b)(1), (2), (5), or (6). An 01 exemption may not be granted except upon written application for the exemption on 02 a form prescribed by the department. 03 * Sec. 8. AS 28.10.421(b) is amended to read: 04  (b) The biennial [ANNUAL] registration fees under this subsection are 05 imposed within the following classifications for: 06  (1) a passenger vehicle or motor home not used or maintained for the 07 transportation of persons or property for hire or for other commercial use 08  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $68 [$35]; 09  (2) a pick-up truck or a van not exceeding 6,000 pounds unladen 10 weight and not used or maintained for the transportation of persons or property for hire 11 or for other commercial use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$78 [$40]; 12  (3) a taxicab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $138 [$70]; 13  (4) a motor bus with a seating capacity for 20 or more persons and 14 used exclusively for commercial purposes in the transporting of visitors or tourists 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $168 [$85]; 16  (5) a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$40 [$20]; 17  (6) a trailer not used or maintained for the transportation of persons or 18 property for hire or for other commercial use, including, but not limited to, a boat 19 trailer, baggage trailer, box trailer, utility trailer, house trailer, travel trailer, or a trailer 20 rented or offered for rent  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10 [$5]. 21 * Sec. 9. AS 28.10.421(c) is amended to read: 22  (c) The biennial [ANNUAL] registration fees under this subsection are 23 imposed and are based upon the actual unladen weight as established by the 24 manufacturer's advertised weight or upon the actual weight which the owner shall 25 furnish, subject to the approval of the commissioner or the commissioner's 26 representative, for a vehicle, including a motor vehicle pulling a trailer or semi-trailer, 27 that is registered in the name of a company or business, or is used or maintained for 28 the transportation of passengers for hire, excepting taxicabs and buses under (b) of this 29 section, or for the transportation of property for hire or for other commercial purposes, 30 including a trailer, semi-trailer, truck, wrecker, tow car, hearse, ambulance, and tractor, 31 as follows 01  (1) up to and including 5,000 pounds  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100 [$51]; 02  (2) more than 5,000 pounds to and including 12,000 pounds $170 [$86]; 03  (3) more than 12,000 pounds to and including 18,000 pounds 04  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$310 [$156]; 05  (4) more than 18,000 pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$440 [$221]. 06 * Sec. 10. AS 28.10.421(d) is amended to read: 07  (d) The special registration fees under this subsection are imposed biennially 08 [ANNUALLY], unless otherwise specified, for 09  (1) an historic vehicle, [(] one time only upon initial registration under 10 AS 28.10.181 [)] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10; 11  (2) special request plates for 12  (A) Alaska National Guard personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30; 13  (B) veterans or retired veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30; 14  (C) recipients of the Purple Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30; 15  (D) owners of custom collection vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50; 16  (E) other special request plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30; 17 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b) of this section; the fee required by this 18 paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance and on the replacement of 19 special request plates; 20  (3) a vehicle owned by a disabled veteran or other handicapped person, 21 and registered under AS 28.10.181 or a resident 65 years of age or older who files a 22 written application for an exemption on a form prescribed by the department . none; 23  (4) a vehicle owned by the state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .none; 24  (5) a vehicle owned by an elected state official . . . . . . . . . . . . the fee 25 required for that vehicle under (b) of this section; 26  (6) [REPEALED 27  (7)] a vehicle owned by a rancher, farmer, or dairyman and registered 28 under AS 28.10.181  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$68 [$35]; 29   (7) [(8)] a snowmobile or off-highway vehicle  . . . . . . . . . . $10 [$5]; 30   (8) [(9)] an amateur mobile radio station vehicle, 31  (A) with a transceiver capable of less than 5-band operation... 01 the fee required for that vehicle under (b) or (c) of this section; 02  (B) in recognition of service to the public a mobile amateur 03 radio station owned by an amateur with general class or higher license, 04 provided the station must be satisfactorily proved capable of operating on at 05 least five bands from 160 through 10 meters, must have an antenna, and must 06 have a power supply and wiring as a permanent part of the vehicle; the 07 transmitting unit may be removed from the car for service or dry storage . . . 08 none for a mobile amateur radio station vehicle included in (b)(1) or (2) of this 09 section; 10   (9) [(10)] dealer registration plates 11  (A) the initial set of plates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$88 [$45]; 12  (B) each subsequent set of plates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50 [$25]; 13   (10) [(11)] a vehicle owned by a municipality or charitable 14 organization meeting the requirements of AS 28.10.181(e)  . . . . . . . . $10 [$5]; 15   (11) [(12) REPEALED 16  (13)] a vehicle owned by a Pearl Harbor survivor or a former prisoner 17 of war . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .none; 18   (12) [(14) REPEALED 19  (15)] special request university plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50 20 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b)(1) or (2) of this section; the fee 21 required by this paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance and on the 22 replacement of special request plates; the commissioner of administration shall 23 separately account by university campus designation for the fees received under this 24 paragraph that the department deposits in the general fund; the annual estimated 25 balance in the accounts that is in excess of the cost of issuing special request 26 university plates may be appropriated by the legislature for the support of programs 27 at each campus. 28 * Sec. 11. AS 28.10.421(f) is amended to read: 29  (f) In addition to the fees imposed under (b) and (d) of this section, the 30 following special biennial [ANNUAL] registration fee is imposed upon renewal of 31 registration for a passenger vehicle, motor home, pick-up truck, or a van with special 01 request Winter Olympics commemorative plates. . . $60 [$30]; the annual estimated 02 balance in the account maintained by the commissioner of administration under 03 AS 37.05.142 may be appropriated by the legislature to the Alaska amateur sports fund 04 established under AS 05.35.150. 05 * Sec. 12. AS 28.10.423 is amended to read: 06  Sec. 28.10.423. EMISSION CONTROL INSPECTION PROGRAM FEES. In 07 addition to the biennial [ANNUAL] registration fee specified in AS 28.10.421, a $2 08 fee is imposed upon every vehicle required to be inspected under an emission control 09 program established under AS 46.14.400 or 46.14.510. This fee shall be collected at 10 the same time and in the same manner as the registration fee. 11 * Sec. 13. AS 28.10.431(b) is amended to read: 12  (b) The biennial tax is levied upon motor vehicles subject to the license fee 13 under AS 28.10.411 and 28.10.421 and is based upon the age of vehicles as 14 determined by model year in the first year of the biennial period, according to the 15 following schedule: Tax According to Age of Vehicle Since Model Year 16 Tax According to Age of 17 Vehicle 18 Since Model Year: 19 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 20 or over 21 Motor Vehicle 22 (1) motorcycle  $17 $15 $13 $10 $ 7 $ 5 $ 4 $ 4 23 [$ 9] [$ 8] [$ 7] [$ 6] [$ 4] [$ 3] [$ 2] [$ 2] 24 (2) vehicles specified 121 99 77 55 39 28 19 16 25 in AS 28.10.421(b)(1) [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [17] [11] [ 8] 26 (3) vehicles specified 121 99 77 55 39 28 19 16 27 in AS 28.10.421(b)(3) [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [17] [11] [ 8] 28 (4) vehicles specified in 29 AS 28.10.421(c)(1)-(4) 30 5,000 pounds or less 121 99 77 55 39 28 19 16 31 [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [17] [11] [ 8] 01 5,001-12,000  198 154 121 99 77 55 33  22 02 pounds [110] [88] [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [11] 03 12,001-18,000  297 242 198 154 110 77 55 44 04 pounds [165] [132] [110] [88] [66] [44] [33] [22] 05 18,001 pounds  396 319 253 198 154 110 66 44 06 or over [220] [176] [143] [110] [88] [66] [44] [22] 07 (5) vehicles specified 198 154 121 99 77 55 33  22 08 in AS 28.10.421(b)(4) [110] [88] [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [11] 09 (6) vehicles specified 17 15 13 10 7 5 4 4 10 in AS 28.10.421(b)(6) [ 9] [ 8] [ 7] [ 6] [ 4] [ 3] [ 2] [ 2] 11 (7) vehicles specified 121 99 77 55 39 28 19 16 12 in AS 28.10.421(d)(8) [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [17] [11] [ 8] 13 [AS 28.10.421(d)(9)] 14 (8) vehicles specified 121 99 77 55 39 28 19 16 15 in AS 28.10.421(b)(2) [66] [55] [44] [33] [22] [17] [11] [ 8] 16 (9) vehicles eligible  88 17 for dealer plates under [44] 18  AS 28.10.421(d)(9) 19 [AS 28.10.421(d)(10)]. 20 * Sec. 14. AS 28.10.431(h) is amended to read: 21  (h) A vehicle owned by a former prisoner of war exempted from registration 22 fees under AS 28.10.421(d)(11) [AS 28.10.421(d)(13)] is subject to a motor vehicle 23 registration tax under this section. 24 * Sec. 15. AS 28.35.155(a) is amended to read: 25  (a) It is unlawful to operate a motor vehicle with studded tires or tires with 26 chains attached on a paved highway or road from May 1 through September 15, 27 inclusive, north of 60 North Latitude and from April 15 through September 30, 28 inclusive, south of 60 North Latitude. The commissioner shall by emergency order 29 provide for additional lawful operating periods based on unusual seasonal or weather 30 conditions. An emergency order adopted under this section is not subject to AS 44.62 31 (Administrative Procedure Act). Upon application a special individual traction permit 01 may be issued allowing the operation of a motor vehicle with studded tires or chains 02 at any time at the discretion of the vehicle owner. The fee for the special individual 03 permit is one-third of the biennial [ANNUAL] registration fee applicable to that class 04 of vehicle under AS 28.10.421. The department may provide an appropriate sticker 05 or other device identifying the vehicle to which the permit applies. 06 * Sec. 16. TRANSITION. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, the biennial 07 registration fees imposed under this Act shall be imposed by the Department of Public Safety 08 upon registration or renewal of an existing registration and in a manner that allows 09 approximately one-half of vehicle registrations to be issued or renewed under a biennial 10 system by July 1, 1998, and the remaining biennial vehicle registrations or renewals to be 11 imposed by July 1, 1999. 12 * Sec. 17. This Act takes effect July 1, 1997.