Under this bill, DOA may offer certain state property for sale if the offer of sale
is approved by the Building Commission before July 1, 2009.
Current law requires persons who hold credentials issued by DRL to renew the
credentials every two years. Current law specifies the fee for renewing each
credential, for issuing an initial credential for which no examination is required, and
for issuing a reciprocal credential. Currently, DRL must submit a biennial budget
request recalculating the administrative and enforcement costs for each occupation
or business DRL regulates, and recommending changes to the fees.
This bill eliminates the specified renewal, initial credential, and reciprocal
credential fees. The bill requires DRL to determine the fees for the succeeding fiscal
biennium using the methodology currently prescribed for preparing its biennial
budget request. DRL must submit a report containing the proposed adjusted fees to
JCF for its approval.
Currently, the National and Community Service Board, which is attached to
DOA, receives federal funding, receives state funding from state agencies to which
the board provides services, and receives funding from gifts, grants, and bequests.
This bill directs DOA to annually determine the amount of state funding for
administrative support of the board that is required for the board to qualify for
federal funding. The bill directs DOA to apportion and assess that amount equally
to DOA, DHFS, DPI, and DWD.
taxation
Property taxation
This bill creates a property tax credit for improvements on real property. Under
the bill, beginning in 2009, annually $100,000,000 is distributed to municipalities
in amounts that are in the same proportion as the amounts obtained by multiplying
the fair market value of the improvements in each municipality by the school tax rate
for the municipality. Each municipality then applies the amount it receives to the
property tax bills of its property owners, apportioning the amount according to the
fair market value of each property owner's improvements, thereby reducing the
amount of the property taxes that the property owner must pay on the
improvements.
This bill creates a property tax exemption for real property owned by a veterans
service organization that is chartered under federal law if the property is necessary
for the location and convenience of buildings.
Income taxation
Current law provides a subtraction from federal adjusted gross income (AGI)
for amounts paid by a claimant for tuition to attend certain higher education
institutions located in this state or subject to the Minnesota-Wisconsin reciprocity
agreement. The subtraction may not exceed twice the average amount charged by
the Board of Regents of the UW System at four-year institutions for resident
undergraduate tuition for the most recent fall semester. Currently, the maximum
allowable subtraction is $4,536 and is phased out at certain income levels.
This bill increases the maximum allowable subtraction to $6,000 and expands
the subtraction to include mandatory student fees paid to an eligible institution.
Under current law, an individual may not claim an income tax deduction for
college tuition expenses if the source of the payment is an amount withdrawn from
either a college tuition and expenses program or a college savings account (commonly
known as EdVest I and EdVest II) and the claimant has already claimed a deduction
that relates to a contribution to an EdVest I or II account.
Under this bill, an individual may not claim an income tax deduction for college
tuition expenses if the source of the payment is an amount withdrawn from either
an EdVest I or II account and the owner of the account has already claimed a
deduction that relates to a contribution to an EdVest I or II account.
Current law provides an individual income tax deduction for 100 percent of the
amount paid by a person for a medical care insurance policy that covers the person
and his or her family (his or her spouse and dependents) if the person's employer pays
nothing toward the person's medical care insurance. There is a similar deduction for
100 percent of such amounts paid for a policy by a self-employed person and for
approximately 33 percent of such amounts paid by a person who has no employer and
no self-employment income, although the latter percentage increases to 100 percent
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008.
This bill creates a phased-in individual income tax deduction for a percentage
of the amount that is paid by an individual for a policy that covers the individual and
his or her family if the individual's employer pays a portion of the cost of the
individual's policy. For taxable year 2008, 10 percent of the amount paid for such a
policy may be claimed; for taxable year 2009, 25 percent may be claimed; for taxable
year 2010, 45 percent may be claimed; and for taxable year 2011 and thereafter, 100
percent may be claimed.
This bill allows a taxpayer to report to DOR, without paying a penalty or facing
criminal prosecution, certain transactions that are devised for the principal purpose
of evading or avoiding federal or state income or franchise tax and are required to
be reported to the Internal Revenue Service under federal law. In order to avoid
penalties and prosecution, a taxpayer must file an amended return with DOR for
each taxable year beginning before January 1, 2007, in which the taxpayer
participated in the transaction, and pay any additional taxes. The amended return
must be filed between October 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007. Apart from the grace
period provided under the bill, the bill generally requires taxpayers to report all such
transactions to DOR, consistent with the reporting requirements under federal law,
and pay all penalties, interest, and additional taxes.
Under this bill, a person may claim an income and franchise tax credit equal
to 25 percent of the amount that the person paid in the taxable year to install pumps
located in this state that dispense motor vehicle fuel consisting of at least 85 percent
ethanol or at least 20 percent biodiesel fuel.
This bill creates an income and franchise tax credit for health care providers in
an amount equal to the amount that the health care provider paid in the taxable year
for information technology hardware or software that is used to maintain medical
records in electronic form.
This bill also creates income and franchise tax credits for amounts paid to
modernize or expand a dairy manufacturing operation. Dairy manufacturing means
processing milk into dairy products or processing dairy products for sale
commercially.
This bill exempts from the income tax and the franchise tax all income of a
veterans service organization that is chartered under federal law.
Under current law, generally, a taxpayer may claim a credit against the
taxpayer's income and franchise tax liability on certain amounts invested in new
businesses under the early stage seed investment tax credit or the angel investment
tax credit. This bill increases the total amount of all angel investment credits that
may be claimed in each calendar year from $3,000,000 to $5,500,000 and the total
amount of all early stage seed investment credits that may be claimed in each
calendar year from $3,500,000 to $6,000,000. The bill also increases the amount of
the investment that may be used as the basis of an angel investment credit from
$500,000 to $2,000,000. In addition, the bill requires that any person claiming an
angel investment credit or an early stage seed investment credit keep his or her
investment in a certified business for at least three years.
Current law authorizes DOR to enter into agreements with the Internal
Revenue Service to offset state tax refunds against federal tax obligations and charge
a fee for such setoffs, not to exceed $25 per transaction. In addition, DOR may enter
into agreements with other states to offset state tax refunds against the tax
obligations of other states. This bill allows DOR to enter into agreements with
federally recognized tribes to offset state tax refunds against tribal obligations and
charge a fee for such setoffs, not to exceed $25 per transaction.
Under current law, a partnership, a limited liability company, a tax-option
corporation, an estate, or a trust that is treated as a pass-through entity for federal
income tax purposes must withhold income or franchise taxes from the income that
the entity may distribute to a nonresident partner, member, shareholder, or
beneficiary (nonresident). However, a nonresident's share of income from the
pass-through entity that is attributable to this state is not included in determining
the amount of the withholding tax if the nonresident is exempt from state income and
franchise taxes or if the nonresident has no state income other than his or her share
of income from the pass-through entity that is attributable to this state and the
amount of that income is less than $1,000.
Under this bill, income excluded from determining the amount of a
pass-through entity's withholding taxes includes income of a nonresident who files
an affidavit with DOR agreeing to file a state income or franchise tax return and be
subject to the personal jurisdiction of DOR, the Tax Appeals Commission, and the
courts of this state for the purpose of determining and collecting state income and
franchise taxes.
This bill adopts, for state income and franchise tax purposes, certain changes
made to the Internal Revenue Code by Public Law 109-7, which excludes qualified
disaster mitigation payments from gross income; Public Law 109-58, the Energy Tax
Incentives Act; Public Law 109-59, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act; Public Law 109-73, the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief
Act; Public Law 109-135, the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act; Public Law 109-151, the
Employee Retirement Preservation Act; Public Law 109-222, the Tax Increase
Prevention Act; Public Law 109-227, Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities Act;
and Public Law 109-280, the Pension Protection Act.
Under current law, for claims filed in 2001 and thereafter, the homestead tax
credit threshold income is $8,000; the maximum property taxes, or rent constituting
property taxes, that a claimant may use in calculating his or her credit are $1,450;
and the maximum household income is $24,500. As income increases from $8,000
to $24,500, the credit is phased out to zero under the current formula; also, the credit
is 80 percent of the property taxes accrued or rent constituting property taxes
accrued for household income of $8,000 or less. Using the formula, the credit that
may be claimed ranges from $10 to $1,160.
Under this bill, for claims filed in 2009 and thereafter, the maximum household
income is indexed for inflation. Also under the bill, as a claimant's income exceeds
the threshold income amount, the credit is phased out until the credit equals zero
when income exceeds the indexed maximum income.
Federal law provides an individual income tax credit for a portion of qualifying
child or dependent care expenses that are paid for the purpose of enabling a taxpayer
to be gainfully employed. An eligible claimant must maintain a household for a
qualifying individual, which is defined as a dependent under the age of 13, a disabled
spouse, or another disabled individual who is a dependent of the taxpayer. The
amount that may be claimed under the federal credit is based on the amount of
allowable employment-related expenses incurred by the claimant. The maximum
amount of such expenses under federal law is $3,000 for one qualifying individual
and $6,000 for more than one qualifying individual.
In calculating Wisconsin AGI, this bill authorizes an individual who claims the
federal credit to subtract from federal AGI a certain amount of the expenses claimed
by the individual under the federal credit. The amount that may be subtracted is
phased in over four years. For nonresidents and part-year residents of this state,
the amount of the subtraction is then prorated based on the ratio of the claimant's
Wisconsin earned income to total earned income.
Currently, with regard to the endangered resources and local professional
football stadium district income tax checkoffs, the secretary of revenue must
highlight that place on the income tax return with an appropriate symbol. Under
this bill, the requirement applies only to forms printed by DOR.
Under current law, certain types of income received by an individual, which are
deductible under federal law when the individual calculates his or her federal AGI,
must be added back to federal AGI when an individual calculates his or her
Wisconsin AGI.
In calculating Wisconsin AGI, this bill requires that nonresidents and
part-year residents add back to federal AGI a portion of certain items that are
deductible under federal law, such as the domestic production activities deduction
and attorney fees and court costs involving unlawful discrimination claims.
This bill specifies that amounts received by a nonresident of this state under
a covenant not to compete is taxable by this state to the extent that the covenant was
based on a Wisconsin-based activity.
Other taxation
Currently, if a taxpayer appeals a DOR tax ruling to the Tax Appeals
Commission, the taxpayer may deposit the additional taxes DOR claims is due, plus
interest, with the secretary of administration while the appeal is pending, and DOR
must authorize the secretary to administer the deposit and issue any refund that is
due the taxpayer after the appeal concludes. Currently, similar tax assessment and
refund issuance procedures also apply to other taxes including the oil and gas
severance tax and the cigarette inventory tax.
Under this bill, such deposits are made, and such refunds are issued, by DOR
directly, and DOA no longer administers the deposits or issues any refunds.
This bill imposes an assessment on a motor vehicle fuel supplier at the rate of
2.5 percent of the supplier's gross receipts from the first sale of motor vehicle fuel in
this state. The supplier may take no action to increase or influence the selling price
of motor vehicle fuel in order to recover the amount of the assessment. For the
purpose of determining the amount of the assessment, income derived from the first
sale in this state of biodiesel fuel or ethanol blended with gasoline to create gasoline
consisting of at least 85 percent ethanol is not included in the supplier's gross
receipts. The revenue collected from the assessment is deposited into the
transportation fund.
This bill adopts the substantive provisions of the streamlined sales and use tax
agreement for purposes of administering and collecting state, county, and stadium
district sales and use taxes. The agreement is intended to modernize sales and use
tax administration for the states that enter into the agreement and to encourage
out-of-state retailers to collect the state, county, and stadium district sales and use
taxes voluntarily. Under current federal law, generally, an out-of-state retailer who
sells tangible personal property or services to customers in this state is not required
to collect the sales tax or use tax imposed on such sales, if the retailer has no physical
presence in this state. See Quill v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298; 112 S.Ct. 1904 (1992).
This bill increases the rate of the excise tax imposed on the sale of cigarettes
from 77 cents per pack to $2.02 per pack. The bill also increases the rate of the excise
tax imposed on the sale of tobacco products from 25 percent of the manufacturer's list
price to distributors to 65.6 percent of the manufacturer's list price to distributors.
Under current law, generally, the conveyance of real property from one person
to another is subject to a real estate transfer fee of 30 cents for each $100 of the
conveyance's value. The register of deeds for the county in which the property is
located collects the fee at the time that the conveyance is recorded. The register of
deeds retains 20 percent of the fee for the county and submits the remainder to the
state.
This bill increases the real estate transfer fee to 60 cents for each $100 of a
conveyance's value and requires the register of deeds to submit 90 percent of the fee
to the state. Under the bill, the amount of the real estate transfer fee submitted to
the state is deposited into the county aid fund. The state pays a portion of the amount
paid to counties for circuit court costs out of the county aid fund. The state also pays
from the county aid fund a portion of the amount paid to counties as community
youth and family aids (generally referred to as youth aids), which are aids paid to
counties for juvenile delinquency-related services. These costs and aids are
currently paid out of the general fund. Beginning in 2008, county aid payments,
currently referred to as shared revenue payments, will be paid in part from the
county aid fund and in part from the general fund.
This bill creates sales and use tax exemptions for all of the following:
1. Tangible personal property and taxable services that are sold by a home
exchange service that is operated by DVA.
2. Machines, equipment, animals, and certain other tangible personal property
that are sold to a biotechnology business for use exclusively in research.
3. Machines, equipment, and certain other tangible personal property that are
used exclusively in raising animals that are sold primarily to a biotechnology
business, a public or private institution of higher education, or a governmental unit
for use by any such entity exclusively in research or manufacturing.
4. Catalogs and the envelopes in which the catalogs are mailed.
This bill also modifies the sales and use tax exemption for motion picture film
and tape to include radio and television programs. In addition, under the bill, the
exemption applies to motion pictures and radio and television programs that are
electronically provided to a purchaser.
Under current law, generally, a person may not sell cigarettes in this state
without a permit issued by DOR. Current law also prohibits a direct marketer from
selling cigarettes to consumers in this state unless the direct marketer fulfills certain
requirements. Current law defines direct marketing as publishing or making
accessible an offer for the sale of cigarettes to consumers in this state, or selling
cigarettes, using any means by which the consumer is not physically present on a
premise that sells cigarettes.
Under this bill, generally, the same provisions that apply to the direct
marketing of cigarettes under current law also apply to the direct marketing of
tobacco products. In addition, no person may sell cigarettes or tobacco products to
consumers in this state unless the person applies to DOR for a permit.
This bill increases the fee imposed on dry cleaning facilities from 1.8 percent
of the gross receipts from the previous three months from dry cleaning apparel and
household fabrics to 2.8 percent of such gross receipts.
This bill allows DOR to charge a filing fee for sales tax returns that are
submitted to DOR on paper.
Transportation
Highways
Current law includes provisions applicable to southeast Wisconsin freeway
rehabilitation projects, including the Marquette interchange reconstruction project.
Under current law, DOT may contract up to $213,100,000 in public debt for the
Marquette interchange reconstruction project. DOT generally may not expend
moneys, other than bonding proceeds, for any southeast Wisconsin freeway
rehabilitation project that involves adding lanes five miles or more in length to an
existing freeway absent enumeration of the project by the legislature. Currently no
such projects are enumerated.
This bill enumerates two projects: the Zoo interchange project in Milwaukee
County and the I 94 north-south corridor project in southeastern Wisconsin. The bill
also increases from $213,100,000 to $303,300,000 the general obligation bonding
limit and allows proceeds from this bonding also to be used to fund the I 94
north-south corridor project.
Under current law, the Building Commission may issue revenue bonds for
major highway projects and transportation administrative facilities in a principal
amount that, with certain exclusions, may not exceed $2,324,377,900. This bill
increases the revenue bond limit from $2,324,377,900 to $2,708,341,000.
Under current law, debt service on certain public debt for major highway
projects and state highway rehabilitation projects is paid from the general fund. This
bill pays some or all of this debt service from the transportation fund.
Drivers and motor vehicles
This bill incorporates into state law the requirements contained in the federal
REAL ID Act necessary for federal agencies to recognize for an official purpose
operator's licenses and identification cards issued by this state. Under the act, an
official purpose includes accessing federal facilities, boarding federally regulated
commercial aircraft, and any other purpose identified by the federal Department of
Homeland Security (DHS).
Under this bill, DOT may not, after May 10, 2008, issue or renew an operator's
license or identification card unless the applicant presents, and DOT verifies, all of
the following information:
1. An identification document that includes either the applicant's photograph
or both the applicant's full legal name and date of birth.
2. Documentation showing the applicant's date of birth.
3. Proof of the applicant's social security number or verification that the
applicant is not eligible for a social security number.
4. Documentation showing the applicant's name and address of principal
residence.
5. Valid documentary proof that the individual is a citizen or national of the
United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent or temporary residence
in the United States.
In processing the application for an operator's license or identification card,
DOT must capture and retain for at least ten years a digital image of each document
presented.
DOT must ver
ify each document presented in the manner and to the
extent required under federal law. DOT must record in the applicant's file or record
the date on which verification is completed.
This bill creates a $10 federal security verification mandate fee that must be
paid to DOT for the issuance, renewal, upgrading, or reinstatement of any operator's
license, endorsement, instruction permit, or identification card.
For certain noncitizen applicants who present specified forms of status or
authorization of legal presence in the United States, the bill requires DOT to issue
operator's licenses or identification cards displaying a legend identifying the license
as temporary. Such a license or identification card may not be renewed unless the
applicant presents valid documentary proof that DHS extended the status by which
the applicant qualified for the license or identification card. Under current law, an
operator's license or identification card issued to a noncitizen generally expires on
the date the person's legal presence in the United States is no longer authorized.
Under the bill, under certain circumstances, a temporary operator's license or
identification card issued to a noncitizen expires one year after issuance.
The bill specifies that every operator's license and identification card must
include a digital color photograph of the applicant and that an applicant who does
not provide a social security number must provide the basis for his or her ineligibility
for a social security number.
Under current law, upon request, DOT must provide to the commercial driver
license information system and the driver licensing agencies of other states any
applicant or driver record information maintained by DOT. This bill specifies that
upon request, DOT must provide to any driver licensing agency of another state
electronic access to any record or file of an operator's license or identification card
applicant, including any photograph, signature, or social security number appearing
in such a record or file. Also, DOT may provide to DHFS certain applicant
information for the sole purpose of verification by DHFS of birth certificate
information.
The bill requires DOT to record in each licensee's operating record, and in each
identification card holder's record, the information in all data fields printed on the
person's license or card.
The bill requires DOT to implement certain security procedures with regard to
the issuance of operator's licenses and identification cards. The bill provides for DOT
to perform background investigations on employees or new hirees in its Division of
Motor Vehicles (DMV). Before allowing a person to access an information system
maintained by DMV, DOT must require the person's employer to conduct a
background investigation. DOT may use the results of the investigation to deny or
restrict access to DMV information.
Under current law, to renew most operator's licenses, DOT must administer an
examination of the applicant's eyesight and provide for giving eyesight examinations
at examining stations in each county. The applicant generally must appear at the
examining station nearest his or her residence. Under this bill, DOT eyesight
examinations at examining stations are not required to be provided in each county,
and the applicant need not appear at the examining station nearest his or her
residence.
The bill extends the valid period for an identification card from four years to
eight years.
This bill increases the annual fee for registering an automobile from $55 to $75
and increases the annual fee for registering a motor truck or dual purpose motor
home that weighs not more than 4,500 pounds from $48.50 to $75, for a vehicle that
weighs not more than 6,000 pounds from $61.50 to $84, and for a vehicle that weighs
not more than 8,000 pounds from $77.50 to $106.
This bill requires DOT to enter into the national Driver License Agreement
(DLA) that establishes standards for the treatment and exchange of driver licensing
and conviction information and other data pertinent to the licensing process. The
DLA requires participating states to recognize certain kinds of violations relating
mostly to operating motor vehicles and the administrative actions taken in response
to those violations, such as suspension or revocation of a person's operating privilege
(DLA Code violations). Under the DLA, when a person who is licensed in one state
that is a party to the DLA commits a DLA Code violation in another party state, the
licensing state takes administrative action in response to the violation, based on
information provided by the state in which the violation occurred. Administrative
action by a party state is recognized by all other party states. The DLA also generally
provides that records concerning a licensed driver are maintained only by the
licensing state.
This bill requires DOT to identify by rule the violations and administrative
actions under this state's laws that the DLA requires to be recognized as DLA Code
violations and that describe the equivalent violations and administrative actions
under the laws of other member states that DOT must recognize as DLA Code
violations when the offense is not committed in this state.
Current law allows or requires DOT or a court, in a variety of circumstances,
to suspend or revoke the operating privilege of any person, whether a resident or
nonresident, who commits specified offenses in this state. In addition, in a variety
of circumstances, current law allows or requires DOT to suspend or revoke the
operating privilege of a resident for committing specified offenses in other
jurisdictions and allows or requires DOT or a court to treat convictions in other
jurisdictions as prior offenses. DOT may or must suspend or revoke the operating
privilege of a nonresident, except with respect to a commercial driver license (CDL),
upon receiving notice of a conviction for certain offenses in another jurisdiction.
To correspond to the state's joinder of the DLA, this bill substantially modifies
the procedure for DOT's administrative suspensions and revocations of motor vehicle
operating privileges. Under the bill, DOT may generally suspend or revoke the
operating privilege only of persons who hold an operator's license issued by DOT or
who are residents of this state and do not hold an operator's license issued by another
jurisdiction (Wisconsin licensees or residents). A nonresident who commits a
violation in this state is generally subject to the penalty provided for the violation
except that, in lieu of suspension or revocation of the nonresident's operating
privilege in this state, notice is provided to the person's state of licensure or residency.
However, if the nonresident's state of licensure or residency is not a DLA state, or if
the offense is not a DLA code violation, DOT may suspend or revoke the nonresident's
operating privilege. The bill also allows certain offenses committed in other
jurisdictions that, if committed in this state, would have been violations in this state
to be grounds for suspension or revocation by DOT and to be counted as prior
violations for purposes of court-ordered suspensions or revocations.
Under the bill, although a nonresident is technically disqualified as a matter
of law from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) upon conviction of specified
offenses related to a CMV or CDL, the nonresident is not ordered administratively
disqualified by DOT, and DOT does not record the disqualification of the nonresident
in DOT's driver records unless required to do so by federal law. If DOT receives a
record of conviction of a nonresident for an offense not required by federal law to be
recorded in DOT's records, DOT must provide notice of the conviction and
disqualification as a matter of law to the person's jurisdiction of licensure or
residency. The bill also adds certain convictions in other jurisdictions that may result
in disqualification. The bill allows certain offenses committed in other jurisdictions
to be grounds for disqualification if they would have been violations in this state had
they been committed in this state.
This bill also modifies, to correspond to the state's joinder of the DLA, DOT's
procedures for maintaining driver records. Under the bill, in most circumstances,
DOT must maintain a driver record only for persons who are Wisconsin licensees or
residents. For such persons, DOT must maintain in the driver record any notice
received from another jurisdiction of the revocation, suspension, or cancellation of
the person's operating privilege in that jurisdiction. Rather than maintain a driver
record for nonresidents, DOT must forward any record of conviction (as required
under current law) or notice of any administrative action, including suspension or
revocation of an operating privilege or disqualification by DOT, or of any test results,
out-of-service order, or DOT hearing results related to driving or operating a motor
vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant, to the nonresident's state of
licensure or residency.
Upon receiving notice that a Wisconsin licensee or resident has applied for an
operator's license or transferred residency to another jurisdiction, DOT must
transfer the person's driver record information to the other jurisdiction if the
jurisdiction is a member of the DLA or if the jurisdiction accepts responsibility for
maintaining the person's driver record. With two exceptions, DOT may not
thereafter update the person's driver record unless required by federal law. If a
person licensed in another jurisdiction applies for an operator's license in this state,
DOT must request that the person's driver record be transferred from the other
jurisdiction.
This bill also alters certain requirements related to issuance of an operator's
license to a person moving to this state from another state.
This bill eliminates the requirements that DOT establish new designs for
vehicle registration plates and reissue registration plates on an established
schedule.
Under current law, DOT administers, in a manner provided under federal law,
a single-state insurance registration system for for-hire motor carriers allowing
interstate carriers to register in, and pay applicable fees to, a single state with regard
to proof of motor carrier insurance requirements. Under federal law, the single-state
insurance registration system is scheduled to be repealed and replaced by a unified
carrier registration system.
This bill authorizes DOT to participate in the new unified carrier registration
system and to impose registration fees on all motor carriers, including private motor
carriers.
Current law requires DOT to conduct a motor vehicle emission inspection and
maintenance program (I/M program) in counties where air quality does not meet
certain federal standards. Under the I/M program, most motor vehicles that are
subject to emission limitations established by DNR must pass periodic emission
inspections and may not be registered by DOT unless they have passed these
inspections. Certain motor vehicles are exempt from emission inspections. DOT is
required to contract with third parties to perform vehicle emission inspections under
the I/M program.
This bill exempts from emission inspections vehicles of model year 1967 to
model year 1995, vehicles of model year 2007 or later that weigh between 10,001
pounds and 14,000 pounds, and vehicles of model year 2007 or later that are powered
by diesel fuel. The bill also allows DOT to authorize or require third-party
contractors to install and operate self-service inspection stations, at which the
contractor may use different methods for emissions testing and equipment
inspection than those used at inspection stations that are not self-service. The bill
allows DOT to establish additional methods for emissions inspections.
Current law requires an environmental impact fee of $9 when a person
registers a new motor vehicle or applies for a new certificate of title after transferring
a vehicle. The environmental impact fee is credited to the environmental fund, and
expires on December 31, 2007. This bill eliminates the expiration date.
