Transportation-related changes approved
A bill enabling car dealers to electronically provide titling and registration services was passed April 24.
LB263, introduced by the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, requires the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to create an electronic dealer services system. The system will allow dealers to provide titling and registration services following the sale of a vehicle, in addition to collecting title and registration fees, sales taxes and motor vehicle taxes. Any car dealer participating in the electronic dealer services system can charge a service fee of up to $50.
The bill also allows the owner of a motor vehicle that is more than 30 years old to apply for issuance of a title when no major component parts have been replaced and the DMV shows no record of a previously issued title. A title can be issued following presentation of a notarized bill of sale, completion of a title inspection and payment of a $25 fee.
Provisions of 10 additional transportation-related bills are contained within LB263, including:
• LB54, introduced by Columbus Sen. Paul Schumacher, which excludes the owner of a vehicle equipped with a keyless ignition from the duty to lock and remove a key from the ignition before leaving a vehicle unattended on a highway;
• LB70, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, which allows for judicial discretion to forego the current one-year revocation of operating privileges in cases of a first offense of driving with a revoked driver license;
• LB143, introduced by Henderson Sen. Curt Friesen, which requires that the vehicle registration for a vehicle with a public power district license plate be kept at the principle place of business of the public power district;
• LB164, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist, which amends several technical DMV provisions relating to commercial driver license disqualification, motor vehicle accident reports and motor vehicle records administration;
• LB294, introduced by Papillion Sen. Jim Smith, which allows the DMV to enter into an agreement of mutual recognition of operator licenses with foreign countries;
• LB355, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Kate Bolz, which authorizes the DMV to create “Native American Cultural Awareness and History” license plates;
• LB418, introduced by Albion Sen. Tom Briese, which updates state statute with federal regulations adopted within the last year;
• LB459, introduced by Smith, which expands the responsibilities of the state fire marshal in carrying out the One-Call Notification Act;
• LB460, also introduced by Smith, which authorizes the state Department of Health and Human Services or any organization or agent contracted by the department to contract for non-medical emergency transportation with a contract carrier authorized by the Public Service Commission (PSC); and
• LB483, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers, which provides to the PSC an exemption from the Nebraska Administrative Procedures Act for purposes of granting or denying a petition for intervention.
The bill passed on a 49-0 vote.
