Pure Pierre Politics

Deb Hillmer, director of the state Division of Motor Vehicles, said this morning that Senate Bill 65 would delay the re-design and issuance of a new series of license plates for five years, not one year as I originally reported based on the language of the legislation. She said counties, cities and townships also would see a temporary gain in funding for roads and bridges. That’s because there wouldn’t need to be a deduction from the license plate revenues to cover the costs of manufacturing new plates for every vehicle. Counties, cities and townships receive most of the license plate revenue, while DMV keeps an administrative fee and retains enough to pay for the costs of making plates. The legislation states:

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to revise the time frame for the design of a new motor license plate series and the issuance of a new motor license plate design series and to transfer funds from the license plate special revenue fund to the prison industries revolving fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
    Section 1. That § 32-5-83 be amended to read as follows:
    32-5-83. The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of different design each five-year period and there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals and letters on the plates.

    For the period of time from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2005, a Year 2000 number plate shall be furnished and designed in accordance with this chapter. The county treasurer shall also issue number stickers pursuant to § 32-5-82.1. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, no new license plate design or the issuance of a new license plate design series may take place for the five-year design cycle that begins on January 1, 2011, and ends on December 31, 2011.