As Introduced

128th General Assembly Regular Session 2009-2010

H. B. No. 187

Representative Huffman 

Cosponsors: Representatives Snitchler, Hackett, Derickson, Maag, Grossman, Bacon, Stewart, Combs, Bubp, Stebelton, Blair, Yuko 

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A BILL

To amend section 4503.102 of the Revised Code to

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require the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and deputy

2

registrars to accept credit cards and debit cards

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for all state-related transactions they process.

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

Section 1. That section 4503.102 of the Revised Code be	5
amended to read as follows:	6

Sec. 4503.102.  (A) The registrar of motor vehicles shall	7
adopt rules to establish a centralized system of motor vehicle	8
registration renewal by mail or by electronic means. Any person	9
owning a motor vehicle that was registered in the person's name	10
during the preceding registration year shall renew the	11
registration of the motor vehicle not more than ninety days prior	12
to the expiration date of the registration either by mail or by	13
electronic means through the centralized system of registration	14
established under this section, or in person at any office of the	15
registrar or at a deputy registrar's office.	16

(B)(1) No less than forty-five days prior to the expiration	17
date of any motor vehicle registration, the registrar shall mail a	18
renewal notice to the person in whose name the motor vehicle is	19
registered. The renewal notice shall clearly state that the	20
registration of the motor vehicle may be renewed by mail or	21
electronic means through the centralized system of registration or	22
in person at any office of the registrar or at a deputy	23
registrar's office and shall be preprinted with information	24
including, but not limited to, the owner's name and residence	25
address as shown in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles, a	26
brief description of the motor vehicle to be registered, notice of	27
the license taxes and fees due on the motor vehicle, the toll-free	28
telephone number of the registrar as required under division	29
(D)(1) of section 4503.031 of the Revised Code, and any additional	30
information the registrar may require by rule. The renewal notice	31
shall not include the social security number of either the owner	32
of the motor vehicle or the person in whose name the motor vehicle	33
is registered. The renewal notice shall be sent by regular mail to	34
the owner's last known address as shown in the records of the	35
bureau of motor vehicles.	36

(2) If the application for renewal of the registration of a	37
motor vehicle is prohibited from being accepted by the registrar	38
or a deputy registrar by division (D) of section 2935.27, division	39
(A) of section 2937.221, division (A) of section 4503.13, division	40
(B) of section 4510.22, or division (B)(1) of section 4521.10 of	41
the Revised Code, the registrar is not required to send a renewal	42
notice to the vehicle owner or vehicle lessee.	43

(C) The owner of the motor vehicle shall verify the	44
information contained in the notice, sign it either manually or by	45
electronic means, and return it, either by mail or electronic	46
means, or the owner may take it in person to any office of the	47
registrar or of a deputy registrar, together with a financial	48
transaction device number, when permitted by rule of the	49
registrar, check, or money order in the amount of the registration	50
taxes and fees payable on the motor vehicle and a mail fee of two	51
dollars and seventy-five cents commencing on July 1, 2001, three	52
dollars and twenty-five cents commencing on January 1, 2003, and	53
three dollars and fifty cents commencing on January 1, 2004, plus	54
postage as indicated on the notice, if the registration is renewed	55
by mail, and an inspection certificate for the motor vehicle as	56
provided in section 3704.14 of the Revised Code. If the motor	57
vehicle owner chooses to renew the motor vehicle registration by	58
electronic means, the owner shall proceed in accordance with the	59
rules the registrar adopts.	60

(D) If all registration and transfer fees for the motor	61
vehicle for the preceding year or the preceding period of the	62
current registration year have not been paid, if division (D) of	63
section 2935.27, division (A) of section 2937.221, division (A) of	64
section 4503.13, division (B) of section 4510.22, or division	65
(B)(1) of section 4521.10 of the Revised Code prohibits acceptance	66
of the renewal notice, or if the owner or lessee does not have an	67
inspection certificate for the motor vehicle as provided in	68
section 3704.14 of the Revised Code, if that section is	69
applicable, the license shall be refused, and the registrar or	70
deputy registrar shall so notify the owner. This section does not	71
require the payment of license or registration taxes on a motor	72
vehicle for any preceding year, or for any preceding period of a	73
year, if the motor vehicle was not taxable for that preceding year	74
or period under section 4503.02, 4503.04, 4503.11, 4503.12, or	75
4503.16 or Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code.	76

(E)(1) Failure to receive a renewal notice does not relieve a	77
motor vehicle owner from the responsibility to renew the	78
registration for the motor vehicle. Any person who has a motor	79
vehicle registered in this state and who does not receive a	80
renewal notice as provided in division (B) of this section prior	81
to the expiration date of the registration shall request an	82
application for registration from the registrar or a deputy	83
registrar and sign the application manually or by electronic means	84
and submit the application and pay any applicable license taxes	85
and fees to the registrar or deputy registrar.	86

(2) If the owner of a motor vehicle submits an application	87
for registration and the registrar is prohibited by division (D)	88
of section 2935.27, division (A) of section 2937.221, division (A)	89
of section 4503.13, division (B) of section 4510.22, or division	90
(B)(1) of section 4521.10 of the Revised Code from accepting the	91
application, the registrar shall return the application and the	92
payment to the owner. If the owner of a motor vehicle submits a	93
registration renewal application to the registrar by electronic	94
means and the registrar is prohibited from accepting the	95
application as provided in this division, the registrar shall	96
notify the owner of this fact and deny the application and return	97
the payment or give a credit on the financial transaction device	98
account of the owner in the manner the registrar prescribes by	99
rule adopted pursuant to division (A) of this section.	100

(F) Every deputy registrar shall post in a prominent place at	101
the deputy's office a notice informing the public of the mail	102
registration system required by this section and also shall post a	103
notice that every owner of a motor vehicle and every chauffeur	104
holding a certificate of registration is required to notify the	105
registrar in writing of any change of residence within ten days	106
after the change occurs. The notice shall be in such form as the	107
registrar prescribes by rule.	108

(G) The two dollars and seventy-five cents fee collected from	109
July 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002, the three dollars and	110
twenty-five cents fee collected from January 1, 2003, through	111
December 31, 2003, and the three dollars and fifty cents fee	112
collected after January 1, 2004, plus postage and any financial	113
transaction device surcharge collected by the registrar for	114
registration by mail, shall be paid to the credit of the state	115
bureau of motor vehicles fund established by section 4501.25 of	116
the Revised Code.	117

(H)(1) PursuantNot later than July 1, 2010, the registrar,	118
pursuant to section 113.40 of the Revised Code, the registrar may	119
shall implement a program permitting payment of motor vehicle	120
registration taxes and fees, driver's license and commercial	121
driver's license fees, and any other taxes, fees, penalties, or	122
charges imposed or levied by the state by means of a financial	123
transaction device. The registrar mayshall adopt rules as	124
necessary for this purpose.	125

(2) Commencing with deputy registrar contract awards that	126
have a start date of July 1, 20082010, and for all contract	127
awards thereafter, the registrar shall incorporate in the review	128
process a score for whether or not a proposer states that the	129
proposer willrequire all deputy registrars to accept payment by	130
means of a financial transaction device, including credit cards	131
and debit cards, for all department of public safety transactions	132
conducted at thatall deputy registrar locationlocations.	133

A deputy registrar shall not be required to accept payment by	134
means of a financial transaction device unless the deputy	135
registrar agreed to do so in the deputy registrar's contract. The	136
bureau shall not be required to pay any costs incurred by a deputy	137
registrar who accepts payment by means of a financial transaction	138
device that result from the deputy registrar accepting payment by	139
means of a financial transaction device.	140

(3) A county auditor that is designated a deputy registrar	141
may choose to accept payment by means of a financial transaction	142
device, including credit cards and debit cards, for all department	143
of public safety transactions conducted at the office of the	144
county auditor in the county auditor's capacity as deputy	145
registrar. The bureau shall not be required to pay any costs	146
incurred by a county auditor who accepts payment by means of a	147
financial transaction device that result from the county auditor	148
accepting payment by means of a financial transaction device for	149
any such department of public safety transaction.	150

(I) For persons who reside in counties where tailpipe	151
emissions inspections are required under the motor vehicle	152
inspection and maintenance program, the notice required by	153
division (B) of this section shall also include the toll-free	154
telephone number maintained by the Ohio environmental protection	155
agency to provide information concerning the locations of	156
emissions testing centers.	157

Section 2. That existing section 4503.102 of the Revised Code	158
is hereby repealed.	159

Section 3.  Section 4503.102 of the Revised Code is	160
presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by	161
both H.B. 13 and Am. Sub. H.B. 119 of the 127th General Assembly.	162
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division	163
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be	164
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds	165
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in	166
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in	167
this act.	168