As Passed by the House

127th General Assembly Regular Session 2007-2008

H. B. No. 13

Representative Fessler 

Cosponsors: Representatives Stebelton, Wachtmann, Brinkman, Adams, Harwood, Bubp, Domenick, Healy, Mallory, Miller, Sayre, Bacon, Barrett, Batchelder, Blessing, Bolon, Book, Boyd, Brown, Chandler, Collier, Daniels, DeBose, DeGeeter, Dyer, Evans, Fende, Flowers, Foley, Garrison, Gibbs, Goodwin, Hagan, J., Hagan, R., Hite, Hottinger, Huffman, Hughes, Koziura, Latta, Letson, Lundy, Oelslager, Okey, Otterman, Patton, Raussen, Schindel, Schneider, Setzer, Skindell, Stewart, D., Stewart, J., Uecker, Wagoner, Williams, B., Wolpert, Zehringer 

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A BILL

To amend section 4503.102 of the Revised Code to

1

prohibit the inclusion of Social Security numbers

2

on motor vehicle registration renewal notices.

3

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1.  That section 4503.102 of the Revised Code be	4
amended to read as follows:	5

Sec. 4503.102.  (A) The registrar of motor vehicles shall	6
adopt rules to establish a centralized system of motor vehicle	7
registration renewal by mail or by electronic means. Any person	8
owning a motor vehicle that was registered in the person's name	9
during the preceding registration year shall renew the	10
registration of the motor vehicle not more than ninety days prior	11
to the expiration date of the registration either by mail or by	12
electronic means through the centralized system of registration	13
established under this section, or in person at any office of the	14
registrar or at a deputy registrar's office.	15

(B)(1) No less than forty-five days prior to the expiration	16
date of any motor vehicle registration, the registrar shall mail a	17
renewal notice to the person in whose name the motor vehicle is	18
registered. The renewal notice shall clearly state that the	19
registration of the motor vehicle may be renewed by mail or	20
electronic means through the centralized system of registration or	21
in person at any office of the registrar or at a deputy	22
registrar's office and shall be preprinted with information	23
including, but not limited to, the owner's name and residence	24
address as shown in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles, a	25
brief description of the motor vehicle to be registered, notice of	26
the license taxes and fees due on the motor vehicle, the toll-free	27
telephone number of the registrar as required under division	28
(D)(1) of section 4503.031 of the Revised Code, and any additional	29
information the registrar may require by rule. The renewal notice	30
shall not include the social security number of either the owner	31
of the motor vehicle or the person in whose name the motor vehicle	32
is registered. The renewal notice shall be sent by regular mail to	33
the owner's last known address as shown in the records of the	34
bureau of motor vehicles.	35

(2) If the application for renewal of the registration of a	36
motor vehicle is prohibited from being accepted by the registrar	37
or a deputy registrar by division (D) of section 2935.27, division	38
(A) of section 2937.221, division (A) of section 4503.13, division	39
(B) of section 4510.22, or division (B)(1) of section 4521.10 of	40
the Revised Code, the registrar is not required to send a renewal	41
notice to the vehicle owner or vehicle lessee.	42

(C) The owner of the motor vehicle shall verify the	43
information contained in the notice, sign it either manually or by	44
electronic means, and return it, either by mail or electronic	45
means, or the owner may take it in person to any office of the	46
registrar or of a deputy registrar, together with a financial	47
transaction device number, when permitted by rule of the	48
registrar, check, or money order in the amount of the registration	49
taxes and fees payable on the motor vehicle and a mail fee of two	50
dollars and seventy-five cents commencing on July 1, 2001, three	51
dollars and twenty-five cents commencing on January 1, 2003, and	52
three dollars and fifty cents commencing on January 1, 2004, plus	53
postage as indicated on the notice, if the registration is renewed	54
by mail, and an inspection certificate for the motor vehicle as	55
provided in section 3704.14 of the Revised Code. If the motor	56
vehicle owner chooses to renew the motor vehicle registration by	57
electronic means, the owner shall proceed in accordance with the	58
rules the registrar adopts.	59

(D) If all registration and transfer fees for the motor	60
vehicle for the preceding year or the preceding period of the	61
current registration year have not been paid, if division (D) of	62
section 2935.27, division (A) of section 2937.221, division (A) of	63
section 4503.13, division (B) of section 4510.22, or division	64
(B)(1) of section 4521.10 of the Revised Code prohibits acceptance	65
of the renewal notice, or if the owner or lessee does not have an	66
inspection certificate for the motor vehicle as provided in	67
section 3704.14 of the Revised Code, if that section is	68
applicable, the license shall be refused, and the registrar or	69
deputy registrar shall so notify the owner. This section does not	70
require the payment of license or registration taxes on a motor	71
vehicle for any preceding year, or for any preceding period of a	72
year, if the motor vehicle was not taxable for that preceding year	73
or period under section 4503.02, 4503.04, 4503.11, 4503.12, or	74
4503.16 or Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code.	75

(E)(1) Failure to receive a renewal notice does not relieve a	76
motor vehicle owner from the responsibility to renew the	77
registration for the motor vehicle. Any person who has a motor	78
vehicle registered in this state and who does not receive a	79
renewal notice as provided in division (B) of this section prior	80
to the expiration date of the registration shall request an	81
application for registration from the registrar or a deputy	82
registrar and sign the application manually or by electronic means	83
and submit the application and pay any applicable license taxes	84
and fees to the registrar or deputy registrar.	85

(2) If the owner of a motor vehicle submits an application	86
for registration and the registrar is prohibited by division (D)	87
of section 2935.27, division (A) of section 2937.221, division (A)	88
of section 4503.13, division (B) of section 4510.22, or division	89
(B)(1) of section 4521.10 of the Revised Code from accepting the	90
application, the registrar shall return the application and the	91
payment to the owner. If the owner of a motor vehicle submits a	92
registration renewal application to the registrar by electronic	93
means and the registrar is prohibited from accepting the	94
application as provided in this division, the registrar shall	95
notify the owner of this fact and deny the application and return	96
the payment or give a credit on the financial transaction device	97
account of the owner in the manner the registrar prescribes by	98
rule adopted pursuant to division (A) of this section.	99

(F) Every deputy registrar shall post in a prominent place at	100
the deputy's office a notice informing the public of the mail	101
registration system required by this section and also shall post a	102
notice that every owner of a motor vehicle and every chauffeur	103
holding a certificate of registration is required to notify the	104
registrar in writing of any change of residence within ten days	105
after the change occurs. The notice shall be in such form as the	106
registrar prescribes by rule.	107

(G) The two dollars and seventy-five cents fee collected from	108
July 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002, the three dollars and	109
twenty-five cents fee collected from January 1, 2003, through	110
December 31, 2003, and the three dollars and fifty cents fee	111
collected after January 1, 2004, plus postage and any financial	112
transaction device surcharge collected by the registrar for	113
registration by mail, shall be paid to the credit of the state	114
bureau of motor vehicles fund established by section 4501.25 of	115
the Revised Code.	116

(H) Pursuant to section 113.40 of the Revised Code, the	117
registrar may implement a program permitting payment of motor	118
vehicle registration taxes and fees, driver's license and	119
commercial driver's license fees, and any other taxes, fees,	120
penalties, or charges imposed or levied by the state by means of a	121
financial transaction device. The registrar may adopt rules as	122
necessary for this purpose.	123

(I) For persons who reside in counties where tailpipe	124
emissions inspections are required under the motor vehicle	125
inspection and maintenance program, the notice required by	126
division (B) of this section shall also include the toll-free	127
telephone number maintained by the Ohio environmental protection	128
agency to provide information concerning the locations of	129
emissions testing centers.	130

Section 2. That existing section 4503.102 of the Revised Code	131
is hereby repealed.	132