SENATE CORPORATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILLS 290 & 315

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF STATE GOVERNMENT REGISTRATION PLATES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 66-3-28 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1994, Chapter 119, Section 14, as amended) is amended to read:

     "66-3-28. STATE GOVERNMENT REGISTRATION PLATES--ISSUANCE APPROVED.--No state government registration plates shall be provided to a state agency unless approved by the transportation services division of the general services department. As used in this section, "state agency" means a state department, agency, board or commission except the legislative and judicial branches, solid waste authorities, irrigation districts, mutual domestic water associations, conservancy districts, public schools and institutions of higher education."

     Section 2. Section 66-6-15 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 350, as amended) is amended to read:

     "66-6-15. VEHICLES OF THE STATE, COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY.--

          A. Vehicles or trailers owned by and used in the service of this state, an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo located wholly or partly in this state or [of any] a county, [or] municipality, irrigation district, solid waste authority, mutual domestic water association or conservancy district of this state need not be registered but must continually display plates furnished by the division.

          B. Vehicles on loan from dealers and used in an approved driver-training program by the public schools need not be registered but must continually display plates furnished by the division.

          C. [Each] A state department or agency, [each] an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo, [each] a county [and each] or a municipality, an irrigation district, solid waste authority, mutual domestic water association or conservancy district shall apply to the division for a plate for each vehicle or trailer in its service and shall provide identifying information concerning each vehicle or trailer for which a plate is applied for.

          D. The division shall issue plates for vehicles and trailers in the service of this state, an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo located wholly or partly in this state or [of any] a county or municipality, an irrigation district, solid waste authority, mutual domestic water association or conservancy district of this state and keep a record of plates issued and plates returned. The plates shall be permanent and need not be renewed from year to year. The plates shall be numbered to identify the state department or agency, the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo, the county or the municipality, the irrigation district, solid waste authority, mutual domestic water association or conservancy district to which the plates are issued. The plates shall be the same size as registration plates issued to private vehicles but shall be different in color from the registration plates issued to private vehicles."

     Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2007.

- 3 -