GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 1357
Committee Substitute Favorable 7/21/93

Short Title:  NCDL Donor or Med. Info./Up Fees.	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  
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May 12, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOW VOLUNTARY MEDICAL AND ORGAN DONOR INFORMATION TO BE PLACED ON DRIVERS LICENSE AND SPECIAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS AND TO INCREASE DRIVERS LICENSE, VEHICLE TITLE, AND VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 20-7(i) as amended by Chapter 368 of the 1993 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"(i)	Fees. – The fee for a regular drivers license is the amount set in the following table multiplied by the number of years in the period for which the license is issued:

Class of Regular License	Fee For Each Year
Class A	4.25
Class B	4.25
Class C	3.00

The fee for a motorcycle endorsement is one dollar and seventy-five cents ($1.75) for each year of the period for which the endorsement is issued.  The appropriate fee must be paid before a person receives a regular drivers license or an endorsement."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 20-7(l) as amended by Chapter 368 of the 1993 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"(l)	Learner's Permit. – Any person who except for lack of instruction in operating a motor vehicle would be qualified to obtain a drivers license under this Article may obtain a learner's permit. A learner's permit authorizes the permit holder to drive a specified type or class of motor vehicle while in possession of the permit. A learner's permit is valid for a period of 18 months after it is issued. The fee for a learner's permit is twelve dollars ($12.00).  A learner's permit may be renewed, or a second learner's permit may be issued, for an additional period of 18 months. The permit holder must, while operating a motor vehicle over the highways, be accompanied by a person who is licensed to operate the motor vehicle being driven and is seated beside the permit holder."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 20-7(n) as amended by Chapter 368 of the 1993 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"(n)	Format. – Every drivers license issued by the Division shall bear thereon the distinguishing number assigned to the licensee and color photograph of the licensee of a size approved by the Commissioner and shall contain the name, age, residence address, optional emergency medical and organ donor information including a signed donor release to medical authorities, and a brief description of the licensee, who, for the purpose of identification and as a condition precedent to the validity of the license, immediately upon receipt thereof, shall endorse his or her regular signature in ink upon the same in the space provided for that purpose unless a facsimile of his or her signature appears thereon; provided the requirement that a color photograph of the licensee appear on the license may be waived by the Commissioner upon satisfactory proof that the taking of such photograph violates the religious convictions of the licensee. Drivers licenses shall be issued with differing color photographic backgrounds according to the licensee's age at time of issuance for the following age groups:
(1)	Persons who have not attained the age of 21 years.
(2)	Persons who have attained the age of 21 years.
The Division shall determine the different colors to be used. Such license shall be carried by the licensee at all times while engaged in the operation of a motor vehicle.  The licensee may prepare and sign to any emergency medical and organ donor information the licensee desires to provide on a form furnished by the Division.  The Division shall not duplicate, copy, or retain any of this information, but shall only make an exact copy of the information provided by the licensee for insertion onto the actual drivers license.  The Division shall not be liable for any of this information contained on the drivers license."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 20-14 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-14.  Duplicate licenses.
A person may obtain a duplicate of a license issued by the Division by paying a fee of twelve dollars ($12.00) and giving the Division satisfactory proof that any of the following has occurred:
(1)	The person's license has been lost or destroyed.
(2)	It is necessary to change the name or address on the license.
(3)	Because of age, the person is entitled to a license with a different color photographic background.
(4)	The Division revoked the person's license, the revocation period has expired, and the period for which the license was issued has not expired."
Sec. 5.  G.S. 20-37.7 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( c1)	The holder shall have the option to provide on the special identification card emergency medical information and organ donor information including a signed donor release to medical authorities.  The holder may prepare and sign to any emergency medical and organ donor information the holder desires to provide on a form furnished by the Division.  The Division shall not duplicate, copy, or retain any of this information, but shall only make an exact copy of the information provided by the holder for insertion onto the actual drivers license.  The Division shall not be liable for any of this information contained on the drivers license."
Sec. 6.  G.S. 20-85(a) reads as rewritten:
	"(a)	The following fees are imposed concerning a certificate of title, a registration card, or a registration plate for a motor vehicle.  These fees are payable to the Division and are in addition to the tax imposed by Article 5A of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes.
(1)	Each application for certificate of
	title	$37.00
(2)	Each application for duplicate
	or corrected certificate of title	12.00
(3)	Each application of repossessor for
	certificate of title	12.00
(4)	Each transfer of registration	12.00
(5)	Each set of replacement registration
	plates	12.00
(6)	Each application for duplicate registration
	card	12.00
(7)	Each application for recording supplementary
	lien	12.00
(8)	Each application for removing a lien from a
	certificate of title	12.00
(9)	Each application for certificate of title for a
	motor vehicle transferred to a manufacturer,
	as defined in G.S. 20-285, or a motor vehicle
	retailer for the purpose of resale	12.00."
Sec. 7.  G.S. 20-87 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-87.  Passenger vehicle registration fees.
These shall be paid to the Division annually, as of the first day of January, for the registration and licensing of passenger vehicles, fees according to the following classifications and schedules:
(1)	Common Carrier, Contract Carriers and Exempt For-Hire Passenger Carrier Vehicles. – For-hire passenger vehicles shall be taxed at the rate of seventy-eight dollars ($78.00) per year for each vehicle of fifteen-passenger capacity or less and vehicles of over fifteen-passenger capacity shall be classified as buses and shall be taxed at a rate of one dollar and forty cents ($1.40) per hundred pounds of empty weight per year for each vehicle; provided, however, no license shall be issued for the operation of any taxicab until the governing body of the city or town in which such taxicab is principally operated, if the principal operation is in a city or town, has issued a certificate showing:
a.	That the operator of such taxicab has provided liability insurance or other form of indemnity for injury to person or damage to property resulting from the operation of such taxicab, in such amount as required by the city or town, and
b.	That the convenience and necessity of the public requires the operation of such taxicab.
	     All persons operating taxicabs on January 1, 1945, shall be entitled to a certificate of necessity and convenience for the number of taxicabs operated by them on such date, unless since said date the license of such person or persons to operate a taxicab or taxicabs has been revoked or their right to operate has been withdrawn or revoked; provided that all persons operating taxicabs in Edgecombe, Lee, Nash and Union Counties on January 1, 1945, shall be entitled to certificates of necessity and convenience only with the approval of the governing authority of the town or city involved.
	     A taxicab shall be defined as any motor vehicle, seating nine or fewer passengers, operated upon any street or highway on call or demand, accepting or soliciting passengers indiscriminately for hire between such points along streets or highways as may be directed by the passenger or passengers so being transported, and shall not include motor vehicles or motor vehicle carriers as defined in Article 17 of this Chapter. Such taxicab shall not be construed to be a common carrier nor its operator a public service corporation.
(2)	U-Drive-It Passenger Vehicles. – U-drive-it passenger vehicles shall pay the following tax: 
Motorcycles:	1-passenger capacity	$18.00
2-passenger capacity	22.00
3-passenger capacity	26.00
Automobiles: Forty-one dollars ($41.00) per year for each vehicle of fifteen-passenger capacity or less, and vehicles of over fifteen-passenger capacity shall be classified as buses and shall pay one dollar and forty cents ($1.40) per hundred pounds empty weight of each vehicle.
(3)	Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 976, s. 3, effective January 1, 1982.
(4)	Limousine Vehicles. – For-hire passenger vehicles on call or demand which do not solicit passengers indiscriminately for hire between points along streets or highways, shall be taxed at the same rate as for-hire passenger vehicles under G.S. 20-87(1) but shall be issued appropriate registration plates to distinguish such vehicles from taxicabs.
(5)	Private Passenger Vehicles. – There shall be paid to the Division annually, as of the first day of January, for the registration and licensing of private passenger vehicles, fees according to the following classifications and schedules:
	Private passenger vehicles of not more than fifteen
	passengers		$22.00
	Private passenger vehicles over fifteen
	passengers		25.00
	Provided, that a fee of only one dollar ($1.00) shall be charged for any vehicle given by the federal government to any veteran on account of any disability suffered during war so long as such vehicle is owned by the original donee or other veteran entitled to receive such gift under Title 38, section 252, United States Code Annotated.
(6)	(Effective until October 1, 1993) Private Motorcycles. – The base tax on private passenger motorcycles shall be nine dollars ($9.00); except that when a motorcycle is equipped with an additional form of device designed to transport persons or property, the base tax shall be sixteen dollars ($16.00). An additional tax of three dollars ($3.00) is imposed on each private motorcycle registered under this subdivision in addition to the base tax. The revenue from the additional tax shall be credited to the General Fund and may be used to implement the Motorcycle Safety Instruction Program created in G.S. 115D-72.
(6)	(Effective October 1, 1993) Private Motorcycles. – The tax on private passenger motorcycles shall be nine dollars ($9.00); except that when a motorcycle is equipped with an additional form of device designed to transport persons or property, the tax shall be sixteen dollars ($16.00).
(7)	Manufacturers and Motor Vehicle Dealers. – Manufacturers and dealers in motor vehicles shall pay a fee of one-half of the amount that would otherwise be payable under this section for each set of plates.
(8)	Driveaway Companies. – Any person engaged in the business of driving new motor vehicles from the place of manufacture to the place of sale in this State for compensation shall pay a fee of one-half of the amount that would otherwise be payable under this section for each set of plates.
(9)	House Trailers. – In lieu of other registration and license fees levied on house trailers under this section or G.S. 20-88, the registration and license fee on house trailers shall be seven dollars ($7.00) for the license year or any portion thereof.
(10)	Special Mobile Equipment. – The fee for special mobile equipment for the license year or any part of the license year is the same as the fee in subdivision (5) for a private passenger motor vehicle of not more than 15 passengers.
(11)	Any vehicle fee determined under this section according to the weight of the vehicle shall be increased by the sum of three dollars ($3.00) to arrive at the total fee."
Sec. 8.  This act is effective upon ratification, and shall apply to all drivers licenses and special identification cards issued on or after January 2, 1994.  The increases in fees shall become effective January 2, 1994.