LRB-3160/2
PEN:kmg:aj
1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE
June 1, 1995 - Introduced by Senators Petak, Huelsman, Panzer, Andrea and
Burke, cosponsored by Representatives Otte, Green, Goetsch,
Brandemuehl, Schneiders, Freese, Gard, Musser, Duff, Lehman, Albers,
Ainsworth, Ladwig, Nass, Vrakas, Kaufert, Silbaugh, Hahn, Lorge,
Grothman, Kreibich, Skindrud, Kelso, Owens, Olsen, F. Lasee, Ryba, La Fave,
Boyle, Huber
and Plombon. Referred to Committee on Transportation,
Agriculture and Local Affairs.
SB221,1,5 1An Act to repeal 344.47; to amend 341.13 (3), 341.13 (3m), 341.15 (3) (a), 341.61
2(1), 341.61 (2) and 341.61 (3); and to create 341.03, 341.605, 341.61 (4), 341.61
3(5) and 341.615 of the statutes; relating to: fraud offenses involving evidence
4of motor vehicle registration, operating a motor vehicle having a suspended,
5revoked or canceled registration and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits displaying a license plate on any vehicle other than the
vehicle for which the plate was issued, and prohibits lending a license plate for
unlawful display. Also under current law, no person may alter the appearance of a
license plate or registration sticker. Violators may be required to forfeit up to $500.
This bill makes the following substantive changes to current law:
1. Prohibits the manufacture of counterfeit registration plates, stickers or
other evidence of registration. Violators may be required to forfeit not less than $200
nor more than $500.
2. Prohibits the unlawful transfer or offering for sale of any registration plate,
sticker or other evidence of registration, genuine or counterfeit. Violators may be
fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, for each violation.
3. Prohibits possessing a counterfeit or unlawfully obtained registration plate,
sticker or other evidence of registration. Violators may be required to forfeit up to
$500.
4. Prohibits the display upon a vehicle of a sticker or other evidence of
registration not issued for that vehicle.
5. Prohibits the unlawful lending of a registration sticker or other evidence of
registration. Violators may be required to forfeit up to $500.
Under current law, no person may drive a motor vehicle if the registration for
that vehicle has been suspended or revoked for failure to comply with the financial

responsibility laws of this state relating to motor vehicles. Any person who violates
this prohibition is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $50 nor more than $200.
This bill eliminates this condition on the prohibition against driving a motor
vehicle having an invalid registration. Instead, the bill prohibits any person from
driving a motor vehicle if the registration for that vehicle is suspended, revoked or
canceled for any reason. The penalty for a violation of these prohibitions is a
forfeiture of not more than $200 or, if the motor vehicle weighs more than 10,000
pounds, a forfeiture of not more than $500. A violator who did not know, and had no
reason to know, that the registration was suspended is not subject to a forfeiture.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB221, s. 1 1Section 1. 341.03 of the statutes is created to read:
SB221,2,7 2341.03 Operating vehicle after suspension, revocation or cancellation
3of registration. (1)
Prohibition. No person may operate or knowingly permit the
4operation of a motor vehicle if the registration for that vehicle is suspended, revoked
5or canceled under s. 144.42 (6) (d) or 342.255, ch. 344 or this chapter, or if the
6registration for that vehicle is suspended, canceled or revoked under the law of
7another jurisdiction.
SB221,2,11 8(2) Penalties. (a) Any person who violates sub. (1), where the vehicle used is
9an automobile, station wagon or any other vehicle having a gross weight rating of
1010,000 pounds or less, as determined by the manufacturer of the vehicle, may be
11required to forfeit not more than $200.
SB221,2,1312 (b) Any person who violates sub. (1), where the vehicle used is a vehicle not
13enumerated under par. (a), may be required to forfeit not more than $500.
SB221,2,16 14(3) Defenses. (a) 1. It is a defense to a violation of sub. (1) that the person did
15not know, and had no reason to know, that the motor vehicle registration was
16suspended, revoked or canceled at the time of the violation.
SB221,3,6
12. Refusal to accept or failure to receive an order of suspension, revocation or
2cancellation mailed by the department to the person's last-known address shall not
3be a defense to a violation of sub. (1). If the person has changed his or her address
4and fails to notify the department as required in s. 343.22, then failure to receive
5notice of suspension, revocation or cancellation shall not be a defense to a violation
6of sub. (1).
SB221,3,87 (b) This section does not apply if operating the motor vehicle was made
8necessary by a situation of emergency, as determined by the court.
SB221, s. 2 9Section 2. 341.13 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,3,1510 341.13 (3) In lieu of issuing a new plate upon each renewal of registration of
11a vehicle, the department may issue one insert tag, decal or other identification
12evidence of registration per vehicle to indicate the period of registration. The tag,
13decal or other identification evidence of registration shall be provided by the
14department and used only if the outstanding plate is in suitable condition for further
15usage. A decal shall be displayed as provided in s. 341.15 (1m).
SB221, s. 3 16Section 3. 341.13 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,3,1917 341.13 (3m) In lieu of issuing new plates upon the renewal of a calendar year
18registration under s. 341.51 or 341.57, the department may issue insert tags, decals
19or other identification evidence of registration for use as provided in sub. (3).
SB221, s. 4 20Section 4. 341.15 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,3,2521 341.15 (3) (a) A person who operates a vehicle for which a current registration
22plate or, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration has been issued without
23such plate or, tag, decal or other evidence of registration being attached to the
24vehicle, except when such vehicle is being operated pursuant to a temporary
25operation permit or plate;
SB221, s. 5
1Section 5. 341.605 of the statutes is created to read:
SB221,4,6 2341.605 Unlawful transfer of evidence of registration. (1) Except as
3authorized by the department, no person may transfer to another person or offer for
4sale a registration plate, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration issued by
5the department. This subsection does not apply to transfers of vehicles under s.
6342.15 (4) (c).
SB221,4,9 7(2) No person may transfer to another person or offer for sale a counterfeit,
8forged or fictitious registration plate, insert tag, decal or other evidence of
9registration.
SB221,4,11 10(3) Whoever violates sub. (1) or (2) may be fined not more than $5,000 or
11imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, for each violation.
SB221, s. 6 12Section 6. 341.61 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,4,1513 341.61 (1) Lends to another a registration plate, insert tag, decal or other
14evidence of registration
for display upon a vehicle for which the plate, tag, decal or
15other evidence of registration
has not been issued.
SB221, s. 7 16Section 7. 341.61 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,4,1917 341.61 (2) Displays upon a vehicle a registration plate, insert tag, decal or other
18evidence of registration
not issued for such vehicle or not otherwise authorized by
19law to be used thereon.
SB221, s. 8 20Section 8. 341.61 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB221,5,321 341.61 (3) Wilfully twists, paints, alters or adds to or cuts off any portion of a
22registration plate or sticker, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration; or who
23places or deposits, or causes to be placed or deposited on such plate or sticker, insert
24tag, decal or other evidence of registration
any substance to hinder the normal
25reading of such plate, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration; or who

1defaces, disfigures, covers, obstructs, changes or attempts to change any letter or
2figure thereon; or who causes such plate or sticker, insert tag, decal or other evidence
3of registration
to appear to be a different color.
SB221, s. 9 4Section 9. 341.61 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
SB221,5,65 341.61 (4) Possesses a fraudulently or unlawfully obtained registration plate,
6insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration.
SB221, s. 10 7Section 10. 341.61 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB221,5,98 341.61 (5) Possesses a counterfeit registration plate, insert tag, decal or other
9evidence of registration.
SB221, s. 11 10Section 11. 341.615 of the statutes is created to read:
SB221,5,14 11341.615 Reproducing evidence of registration prohibited. Except as
12authorized by the department, any person who reproduces, by any means whatever,
13a registration plate, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration shall forfeit not
14less than $200 nor more than $500.
SB221, s. 12 15Section 12. 344.47 of the statutes is repealed.
SB221, s. 13 16Section 13. Initial applicability.
SB221,5,18 17(1)  This act first applies to offenses committed on the effective date of this
18subsection.
Loading...
Loading...