AB376: Bill Text

LRB-1903/1

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 376

October 8, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Ballweg, Allen, Bernier, T. Larson, A. Ott, Thiesfeldt, Tittl and Zamarripa, cosponsored by Senators Kapenga and Harris Dodd. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB376,1,2 An Act to create 341.08 (8) of the statutes; relating to: motor vehicle registration and vehicle insurance requirements.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires motor vehicle registration forms to include a notice relating to motor vehicle liability insurance and a place for the applicant to acknowledge that he or she has reviewed this notice.

Current law prohibits, with certain exceptions, a person from operating a motor vehicle on a highway in this state unless the vehicle owner or operator has a motor vehicle liability insurance policy in effect with respect to the vehicle providing coverage in at least specified minimum amounts. Any person who violates this requirement may be required to forfeit not more than $500. For most vehicles, the minimum liability limits required are, for each accident, $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person and $50,000 for bodily injury or death to more than one person, as well as $10,000 for property damage. With each issued operator's license, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must include a notice of this insurance requirement and penalty.

Under this bill, DOT forms for original and renewal registration of a motor vehicle must include notice to the applicant of all of the following: 1) this insurance requirement and penalty; 2) that failure to maintain the required insurance could result in suspension of the applicant's motor vehicle operating privilege; and 3) that in the case of an accident, failure to have insurance could result in the applicant's personal liability for damages and costs arising from the accident and suspension of the applicant's motor vehicle registration. These registration forms must also include a place on the form for the applicant to acknowledge that he or she has reviewed the information in this notice.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB376,1 Section 1. 341.08 (8) of the statutes is created to read:

AB376,2,3 341.08 (8) Each application form for original registration and for renewal of registration, including online renewal, shall include all of the following:

AB376,2,4 (a) Notice to the applicant of all of the following:

AB376,2,5 1. The insurance requirements and penalties under subch. VI of ch. 344.

AB376,2,7 2. That failure to maintain the required insurance could result in suspension of the applicant's motor vehicle operating privilege.

AB376,2,10 3. That in the case of an accident, failure to have insurance could result in the applicant's personal liability for damages and costs arising from the accident and suspension of the applicant's motor vehicle registration.

AB376,2,12 (b) A place on the form for the applicant to acknowledge that the applicant has reviewed the information in the notice under par. (a).

AB376,2 Section 2. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB376,2,18 (1) Notwithstanding section 341.08 (8) of the statutes, as created by this act, the department of transportation may exhaust its existing stock of printed application forms for original registration and renewal registration before using new forms containing the information specified in section 341.08 (8) of the statutes, as created by this act.

AB376,3 Section 3. Effective date.

AB376,3,2 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

AB376,3,3 (End)