As Introduced 1
123rd General Assembly 4
Regular Session H. B. No. 225 5
1999-2000 6
REPRESENTATIVE SYKES 8
_________________________________________________________________ 9
A B I L L
To amend section 4503.99 and to enact section 11
4503.471 of the Revised Code to create a special 12
Professional Firefighter license plate. 13
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 15
Section 1. That section 4503.99 be amended and section 17
4503.471 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows: 18
Sec. 4503.471. (A) ANY PERSON WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL 20
FIREFIGHTER MAY APPLY TO THE REGISTRAR OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE 22
REGISTRATION OF ANY PASSENGER CAR, NONCOMMERCIAL VEHICLE,
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, OR OTHER VEHICLE OF A CLASS APPROVED BY THE 23
REGISTRAR THE PERSON OWNS AND THE ISSUANCE OF PROFESSIONAL 24
FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES. THE APPLICATION SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED 25
BY THE WRITTEN EVIDENCE THAT THE REGISTRAR MAY REQUIRE BY RULE, 26
SHOWING THAT THE PERSON IS A PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER. THE 27
APPLICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES MAY BE 28
COMBINED WITH A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL RESERVE LICENSE PLATE UNDER 29
SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.
UPON RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A 31
VEHICLE UNDER THIS SECTION, AND PRESENTATION OF SATISFACTORY 33
EVIDENCE OF PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER STATUS, THE REGISTRAR SHALL 34
ISSUE TO THE APPLICANT THE APPROPRIATE VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, 35
SETS OF LICENSE PLATES AND VALIDATION STICKERS, OR VALIDATION 36
STICKERS ALONE WHEN REQUIRED BY SECTION 4503.191 OF THE REVISED 39
CODE.
IN ADDITION TO THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS ORDINARILY INSCRIBED 42
ON THE LICENSE PLATES, PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES 43
2
SHALL BE INSCRIBED WITH A MALTESE CROSS EMBLEM DESIGNED BY THE 46
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS AND APPROVED BY THE 47
REGISTRAR. PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR
COUNTY IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF 48
REGISTRATION BY NAME OR NUMBER. 49
THE LICENSE PLATES AND VALIDATION STICKERS SHALL BE ISSUED 52
UPON PAYMENT OF THE REGULAR LICENSE FEE AS PRESCRIBED UNDER 53
SECTION 4503.04 OF THE REVISED CODE, PAYMENT OF ANY LOCAL MOTOR 54
VEHICLE TAX LEVIED UNDER CHAPTER 4504. OF THE REVISED CODE, AND 56
PAYMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL FEE OF TEN DOLLARS FOR THE PURPOSE OF 58
COMPENSATING THE BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES 59
REQUIRED IN THE ISSUING OF LICENSE PLATES UNDER THIS SECTION. IF 60
THE APPLICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES IS 61
COMBINED WITH A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL RESERVED LICENSE PLATE
UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE, THE LICENSE 62
PLATE AND VALIDATION STICKER SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PAYMENT OF THE 63
FEES AND TAXES CONTAINED IN THIS DIVISION AND THE ADDITIONAL FEE 64
PRESCRIBED UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.
THE REGISTRAR SHALL DEPOSIT THE ADDITIONAL FEE OF TEN DOLLARS IN 65
THE STATE BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES FUND CREATED BY SECTION 67
4501.25 OF THE REVISED CODE. 68
THE CHIEF OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE CHIEF 71
IMMEDIATELY SHALL NOTIFY THE REGISTRAR WHENEVER ANY PERSON UNDER 72
THE CHIEF'S SUPERVISION NO LONGER IS A PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER,
EXCEPT THAT THE NOTIFICATION NEED NOT BE MADE WHEN THE PERSON 73
RETIRES FROM THE PROFESSION OF FIREFIGHTING. 74
WHENEVER A PERSON NO LONGER IS ELIGIBLE TO BE ISSUED 76
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES, THE PERSON SHALL 77
SURRENDER THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES TO THE 78
BUREAU IN EXCHANGE FOR LICENSE PLATES WITHOUT THE MALTESE CROSS 80
EMBLEM DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION. A FEE OF THREE DOLLARS AND 81
FIFTY CENTS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR THE SERVICES REQUIRED IN THE 82
ISSUING OF REPLACEMENT PLATES WHEN A PERSON NO LONGER IS ELIGIBLE 83
TO BE ISSUED PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES. 84
3
A PERSON MAY MAKE APPLICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER 86
LICENSE PLATES AT ANY TIME OF YEAR, AND THE REGISTRAR SHALL ISSUE 87
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES AND REPLACEMENT PLATES AT 88
ANY TIME OF YEAR.
(B) NO PERSON WHO IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER SHALL 90
WILLFULLY AND FALSELY REPRESENT THAT THE PERSON IS A PROFESSIONAL 92
FIREFIGHTER FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER 93
LICENSE PLATES UNDER THIS SECTION. NO PERSON SHALL OWN A VEHICLE 94
BEARING PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES UNLESS THE PERSON 96
IS ELIGIBLE TO BE ISSUED PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES. 97
(C) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER" 99
MEANS ANY PERSON WHO IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROFESSION OF 100
FIREFIGHTING AND, FOR THE PURPOSES OF RENEWING THE REGISTRATION 101
OF A PASSENGER CAR OR NONCOMMERCIAL VEHICLE FOR WHICH 102
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER LICENSE PLATES PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN 103
ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTION, INCLUDES ANY PERSON WHO IS RETIRED 104
FROM THE PROFESSION OF FIREFIGHTING. 105
Sec. 4503.99. (A) Whoever violates section 4503.05, 114
4503.11, or 4503.12, division (A) of section 4503.182, section 115
4503.28, 4503.44, 4503.46, or 4503.47, DIVISION (B) OF SECTION 116
4503.471, or division (C), (D), or (E) of section 4503.066 of the 117
Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. 118
(B) Whoever violates division (H)(4) of section 4503.061, 120
or section 4503.19, 4503.21, or 4503.34 of the Revised Code is 122
guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(C) Whoever violates division (B) of section 4503.182 of 124
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. 125
(D) Whoever violates division (A) of section 4503.236 of 127
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. 128
(E) Whoever violates section 4503.30, division (B) of 130
section 4503.301, or section 4503.32 of the Revised Code is 131
guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. 132
(F)(1) Whoever violates division (B) of section 4503.033 134
of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars. 136
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(2) Whoever violates division (C) of section 4503.033 of 138
the Revised Code shall be fined ten thousand dollars. 139
Section 2. That existing section 4503.99 of the Revised 141
Code is hereby repealed. 142