THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
485
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 249-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1. By amending subsections (a) and (b) to read:
"(a) Upon receipt of the tax the director of finance shall number and register the vehicle in the owner's name in a permanent record or book to be kept by the director for this purpose, and shall furnish the owner thereof with a receipt showing upon its face the license number issued for the vehicle and the fact that the license tax has been paid thereon for the whole or the remainder of the current year in which the receipt is issued. The director of finance shall also furnish the owner, upon the original registration of the vehicle, [[Struck through: two number plates for the vehicle or one plate in the case of trailers, semitrailers, or motorcycles]] [Underlined: one number plate for any vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or motorcycle] with the registration number marked thereon. Upon the payment of the tax for each year a tag or emblem bearing a serial number and the month and year of expiration shall be provided to the owner. Transfer of current number [[Struck through: plates,]] [Underlined: plate,] tag, or emblem, except as authorized by this chapter or by chapter 286, is punishable by a fine of not more than $50 for each offense.
(b) Upon an original registration the director of finance shall fix, and shall charge to the owner, a fee equal to the cost of the number plate [[Struck through: and]][Underlined: ,] tag[Underlined: ,] or emblem plus the administrative cost of furnishing the plate and tag or emblem and effecting the registration. Upon the issuance of a new series of number plates as determined by the directors of finance of each county through majority consent, the director of finance shall charge the owner a fee equal to the costs of the number plate plus the administrative cost of furnishing the [[Struck through: plates.]] [Underlined: plate.] Upon issuing a tag or emblem, the director of finance shall charge the owner a fee of 50 cents. The owner shall securely fasten the number [[Struck through: plates]] [Underlined: plate] on the vehicle[Struck through: ][[Struck through: one on the front and the other]] [Underlined: trailer, semitrailer, or motorcycle] on the rear, at a location provided by the manufacturer or in the absence of such a location upon the [[Struck through: bumpers]] [Underlined: rear bumper] of the vehicle and in conformance with section 291-31, in [[Struck through: such]] a manner as to prevent the [[Struck through: plates]] [Underlined: plate] from swinging. [[Struck through: Number plates]] [Underlined: A number plate] shall at all times be displayed entirely unobscured and be kept reasonably clean. [[Struck through: In the case of trailers, semitrailers, or motorcycles, one plate shall be used and it shall be fastened to the rear thereof at a location provided by the manufacturer or in the absence of such a location at the rear thereof, and in the case of motorcycles in conformance with section 291-31.]]"
2. By amending subsections (d) and (e) to read:
"(d) After the initial payment of the tax and the original registration of a vehicle as herein specified, a motor vehicle shall not be required to be reweighed in any succeeding year unless it has been so altered or changed as to increase or diminish its weight. No new number [[Struck through: plates]] [Underlined: plate] shall, however, be issued to a new owner except as provided in sections 249-7.5 and 249-8.
(e) If an owner of a vehicle registered in any county, upon the disposition of the vehicle, requests that the license [[Struck through: plates]] [Underlined: plate] furnished to the owner with respect to the registration of the vehicle be assigned to another vehicle subsequently acquired by the owner, the assignment may be made by the director of finance at the director's discretion. To defray additional administrative costs incurred by acceding to those requests, the director of finance shall charge a fee of $5 for each reassignment of license plates, in addition to the fee for registration. The procedure for registering the vehicles shall otherwise be identical with that provided by this section."
SECTION 2. Section 249-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§249-7.5 New motor vehicle with a temporary number plate. Any person who has purchased a new motor vehicle which has attached a temporary number plate under section 286-53 shall register the new motor vehicle in accordance with this chapter within thirty days after taking possession of the motor vehicle. For the purposes of this chapter, the registration of such a motor vehicle shall be considered an original registration under section 249-7. Within thirty days of the original registration of such a motor vehicle, the director of finance shall furnish [[Struck through: two number plates]] [Underlined: one number plate] and the valid tag or emblem appropriate for the year of registration, if any, which shall be attached to the motor vehicle as provided under section 249-7. Upon attachment of the number [[Struck through: plates,]] [Underlined: plate,] the temporary number plate provided under section 286-53 shall be destroyed."
SECTION 3. Section 249-9.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
"(c) Registration certificates and license plates issued under this section shall not be transferable to any other person. Special number plates for military service shall be assigned to a noncommercial passenger motor vehicle, a noncommercial motorcycle, or motor scooter registered in the name of the qualified applicant and shall be available in any category of special number plates for military service. [[Struck through: Prior to]] [Underlined: Before] the transfer of the ownership of the qualified person's vehicle to another party, the special number plates shall be surrendered to the director of finance as a condition to the issuance of replacement special number plates; provided that the director of finance shall allow the survivor of the qualified person, upon request, to retain the [[Struck through: front]] special number plate as a memorial."
SECTION 4. Section 291-21.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
"(d) This section shall not apply to:
(1) Rearview mirrors;
(2) Adjustable nontransparent sun visors [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are mounted forward of the side windows and are not attached to the glazing material;
(3) Signs, stickers, or other materials [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are displayed in a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield farthest removed from the driver or signs, stickers, or other materials [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are displayed in a five-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield nearest the driver;
(4) Rear trunk lid handle or hinges;
(5) Window wipers and window wiper motors;
(6) Transparent sun screening film materials [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are installed, affixed, or applied along the top edge of the windshield so long as [[Struck through: such]] [Underlined: the] materials do not encroach upon the AS-1 portion of the windshield as provided by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205 or [[Struck through: no]] [Underlined: not] lower than four inches below the top of the windshield, when measured from the middle point of the bottom edge of the top windshield moulding if no AS-1 markings can be found in the left or right upper margin of the windshield;
(7) Sun screening devices for front side wing vents and windows which, when used in conjunction with the glazing material have a light transmittance of [[Struck through: no]] [Underlined: not] less than thirty-five per cent plus or minus six per cent;
(8) Sun screening devices for side windows necessary for driving visibility [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are to the rear of the driver and for rear windows necessary for driving visibility which, when used in conjunction with the glazing material, have a light transmittance of [[Struck through: no]] [Underlined: not] less than [[Struck through: thirty-five]] [Underlined: five] per cent plus or minus six per cent;
(9) Side windows [[Struck through: which]] [Underlined: that] are to the rear of the driver and rear windows on vans, minivans, trucks, [Underlined: sedans,] or buses; provided that the vehicles are equipped with rearview mirrors on both sides;
(10) Privacy drapes, curtains, or blinds, or any combination, installed on the interior of motor homes; or
(11) Transparent sun screening materials, when applied to the AS-1 portion of the windshield, [[Struck through: which meets]] [Underlined: that meet] the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205."
SECTION 5. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Motor Vehicles Regulations; Motor Vehicle Sun Screening Devices; Exemption; Number Plates
Description:
Decreases the exempted light transmittance for motor vehicle sun screening devices on front side wing vents and windows from thirty-five per cent to twenty per cent plus or minus six per cent. Exempts the light transmittance for motor vehicle sun screening devices for side windows that are to the rear of the driver and rear windows in sedans. Repeals the requirement that a front number plate be affixed to the front of a motor vehicle. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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