2021 WISCONSIN ACT 163
An Act to renumber and amend 341.135;
to amend 341.12 (4) (a), 341.16 (1) (a) and 341.16 (2); and to create 341.12 (4) (am), 341.135 (2), 341.135 (3) and 341.16 (2s) of the statutes; relating to: construction and issuance of motor vehicle registration plates.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
163,1
Section 1
. 341.12 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
341.12 (4) (a) All Subject to par. (am), all registration plates issued under s. 341.25 (1) (a) and for motor trucks having a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds shall be treated with a reflectorized material or substance. The department shall prescribe the term for the use of reflectorized plates.
163,2
Section 2
. 341.12 (4) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
341.12 (4) (am) Beginning with registrations initially effective July 1, 2022, all registration plates issued by the department shall be constructed with aluminum plates tempered to a hardness and thickness of approximately 0.027 inches and prismatic sheeting with embedded security features. Registration plate sheeting shall be of a type successfully used by the manufacturer in multiple jurisdictions and shall have an initial minimum coefficient of reflectivity of 150 candelas per lux per square meter and an initial minimum luminance factor greater than 55.
163,3
Section 3
. 341.135 of the statutes is renumbered 341.135 (1) and amended to read:
341.135 (1) Design. At intervals determined by the department, the department shall establish new designs of registration plates to be issued under ss. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), and (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), and (j) and (2) (a), (b), and (c), and 341.26 (2) and (3) (a) 1. and (am). Any design for registration plates issued for automobiles and for vehicles registered on the basis of gross weight shall comply with the applicable design requirements of ss. 341.12 (3), 341.13, and 341.14 (6r) (c). The designs for registration plates specified in this section subsection shall be as similar in appearance as practicable during each design interval. Except as provided in ss. 341.13 (2r) and 341.14 (1), each registration plate issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c), or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am) during each design interval shall be of the design established under this section subsection. The department may not redesign registration plates for the special groups under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55. until July 1, 2010. Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (3), as the department establishes new designs for registration plates under this section, the department shall, at the time determined appropriate by the department, issue registration plates of the new design to replace registration plates previously issued. This section does not apply to special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 19m., 33m., and 48m.
163,4
Section 4
. 341.135 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
341.135 (2) Issuance. (a) Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (3) and subject to par. (b), beginning with registrations initially effective July 1, 2022, upon receipt of a completed application to renew the registration of a vehicle under s. 341.25 (1) (a) or (c) or (2) (a), (b), or (c) for which a registration plate has not been issued during the previous 10 years, the department shall issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 new registration plates of the design established under sub. (1).
(b) The department may issue new registration plates under par. (a) in a time frame determined by the department, but the department shall complete the issuance of new registration plates under par. (a) no later than July 1, 2032.
163,5
Section 5
. 341.135 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
341.135 (3) Applicability. This section does not apply to special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 19m., 33m., or 48m.
163,6
Section 6
. 341.16 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
341.16 (1) (a) Whenever a current registration plate is lost or destroyed, the owner of the vehicle to which the plate was attached shall immediately apply to the department for replacement. Except as provided in par. (b) and sub. (2m), upon satisfactory proof of the loss or destruction of the plate and upon payment of a fee of $2
$4.00 for each plate, the department shall issue a replacement.
163,7
Section 7
. 341.16 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
341.16 (2) Whenever a current registration plate becomes illegible, the owner of the vehicle to which the plate is attached shall apply to the department for a replacement. Except as provided in sub. (2m), upon receipt of satisfactory proof of illegibility, and upon payment of a fee of $2 $4.00 for each plate, the department shall issue a replacement. Upon receipt of a replacement plate, the applicant shall destroy the illegible plate.
163,8
Section 8
. 341.16 (2s) of the statutes is created to read:
341.16 (2s) When the owner of a vehicle applies to the department to renew the registration of a vehicle for which new plates are required under s. 341.135 (2), and upon payment of a fee of $4.00 for each plate, the department shall issue new replacement plates. Upon receipt of replacement plates, the applicant shall destroy the replaced plates.
163,9
Section
9
.
Nonstatutory provisions.
(1) If ongoing funding for the issuance of new registration plates under s. 341.135 (2) is approved by the joint committee on finance under s. 13.10, the department of transportation shall submit to the legislative reference bureau for publication in the Wisconsin Administrative Register a notice specifying the date that the funding is approved.
163,10
Section
10.
Effective dates. This act takes effect on July 1, 2022, except as follows:
(1) The treatment of s. 341.135 (2) takes effect on the date specified in the notice published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register under Section 9 (1
) of this act, or on July 1, 2023, whichever is earlier.
