Vehicles: renewal of registration.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew the registration of a vehicle upon the application of the owner and the payment of applicable fees. Existing law imposes penalties for a late registration renewal application and the late payment of registration fees. This bill would require the department to provide an indigent person, as defined, with a payment plan option that allows the person to apply for renewal of registration any time after enrolling in the payment plan and pay any outstanding fees in monthly installments. For persons enrolled in a payment plan, the bill would waive specified late penalties and suspend wage garnishments, bank levies, or offsets for the collection of delinquent registration fees and would allow a person who becomes delinquent on a payment plan one 45-day extension to resume payments. The bill would require the department to develop options for submitting an application for the payment plan, including online or by mail. Existing law requires an owner who does not wish to renew the registration of a vehicle to certify that the vehicle will not be operated, moved, or left standing upon a highway unless the owner first applies for registration of the vehicle and pays the applicable fees, except as provided, and imposes penalties for the late filing of this certification. This bill would require the department to allow an indigent person, whether or not enrolled in the payment plan described above, to file this certification regardless of any fees or late penalties owed for the vehicle. Existing law authorizes peace officers or specified public employees engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws to remove a vehicle in various circumstances, including if the vehicle is found or operated upon a highway, public land, or an offstreet parking facility with a registration expiration date in excess of 6 months before the date it is found or operated, and to impound the vehicle until the owner or person in control of the vehicle provides proof of current registration and other specified information. This bill would prohibit a parked vehicle from being removed due to an expired registration, as described above, unless a notice containing specified information is affixed to the vehicle at least 7 days before the vehicle is removed. By requiring local authorities to provide notice before removing a vehicle due to an expired registration, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.