HB-4086,As Passed Senate,May 6, 2003                                        

    REPRINT                                                                     

    SUBSTITUTE FOR                                                              

    HOUSE BILL NO. 4086                                                         

(As Passed the House, April 8, 2003)                                        

                                                                             A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled                                             

"Michigan vehicle code,"                                                    

by amending section 255 (MCL 257.255), as amended by 1987 PA 34.            

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 255.  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter,                

2   a person shall not operate, nor shall an owner knowingly permit             

3   to be operated, upon any highway, a vehicle required to be                  

4   registered under this act unless there is attached to and                   

5   displayed on the vehicle, as required by this chapter, a valid              

6   registration plate issued for the vehicle by the department for             

7   the current registration year.  A registration plate shall not be           

8   required upon any wrecked or disabled vehicle, or vehicle                   

9   destined for repair or junking, which is being transported or               

10  drawn upon a highway by a wrecker or a registered motor vehicle.            

11      (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person                  

1   who violates subsection (1) is  guilty of a misdemeanor,                    

2   punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by a               

3   fine of not more than $100.00, or both responsible for a civil             

4   infraction.  However, if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle                

5   which is required to be registered according to the schedule of             

6   elected gross vehicle weights under section 801(1)(k), the  fine            

7   which may be imposed shall not exceed person is guilty of a                

8   misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days            

9   or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.                                

10      (3) A person who operates a vehicle licensed under the                      

11  international registration plan and does not have a valid                   

12  registration due to nonpayment of the apportioned fee is guilty             

13  of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90           

14  days, or by a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.  In                   

15  addition, a police officer may impound the vehicle until a valid            

16  registration is obtained.  If the vehicle is impounded, the                 

17  towing and storage costs of the vehicle, and the care or                    

18  preservation of the load in the vehicle shall be the owner's                

19  responsibility.  Vehicles impounded shall be subject to a lien in           

20  the amount of the apportioned fee and any fine and costs incurred           

21  under this subsection, subject to a valid lien of prior record.             

22  If the apportioned fee, fine, and costs are not paid within 90              

23  days after impoundment, then following a hearing before the judge           

24  or magistrate who imposed the fine and costs, the judge or                  

25  magistrate shall certify the unpaid judgment to the prosecuting             

26  attorney of the county in which the violation occurred.  The                

27  prosecuting attorney shall enforce the lien by foreclosure sale             

1   in accordance with the procedure authorized by law for chattel              

2   mortgage foreclosures.                                                      

3       Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act takes effect                       

4   September 1, 2003.