An Act to revise certain provisions regarding motor vehicle license plates.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That § 32-5-83 be AMENDED:

32-5-83. Design of number plates--Color contrast.

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of different design each five-year ten-year seven-year period and there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals and letters on the plates.

Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, no new license plate design or the issuance of a new license plate design series may take place for the five-year design cycle that begins on January 1, 2011, and ends on December 31, 2011.

Section 2. That § 32-5-84 be AMENDED:

32-5-84. Composition of number plates--Size of figures--Snowmobile tags.

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-82 shall be of metal or other suitable material bearing the name of the state, either in full or by abbreviation, the number of the first year of the five-year period or the periods provided for in § 32-5-83 and a distinctive number for assignment to each vehicle. The distinctive number may be in figures or a combination of figures and letters and shall be of a size clearly distinguishable by law enforcement officers and individuals generally. The department shall issue either decals or tags made of some durable material for the purpose of licensing snowmobiles. Such license shall be attached to each side of a snowmobile below the windshield on the hood cowling.

Section 3. That § 32-5-99 be AMENDED:

32-5-99. Loss of plates--Issuance of duplicates--Affidavit--Fee--Disposition of fee--Report of loss.

In the event of the loss, mutilation, or destruction of any plates issued under this chapter, the owner of the registered vehicle may obtain a duplicate from the department through the county treasurer upon filing an affidavit showing such facts and upon payment of a fee of ten dollars in the office of the county treasurer. Vehicles licensed pursuant to §§ 32-5-8, 32-5-9 and 32-5-9.1 shall pay a fee of two dollars in lieu of the ten-dollar fee. All duplicate fees shall be credited to the license plate revolving fund. Seventy percent of the fees collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the license plate revolving fund and thirty percent shall be credited to the county general fund. If the plates are lost or stolen, the department may not issue a duplicate set of plates until the loss or theft is reported to a law enforcement agency.

Section 4. That § 32-5-115 be AMENDED:

32-5-115. Time for retention of firefighter's plates.

The number plates authorized by § 32-5-113 shall be retained for the same period of time as plates referred to in § 32-5-83 § 32-5-84.

Section 5. That § 32-5-174 be AMENDED:

32-5-174. Retention time for emblem specialty plates.

Each emblem specialty plate authorized by § 32-5-167 shall be retained for the same period of time as plates referred to in § 32-5-83 § 32-5-84.