To repeal section 301.041, RSMo 1994, relating to commercial vehicle registration, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,

AS FOLLOWS:

Section A. Section 301.041, RSo 1994, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof to be known as section 301.041, to read as follows:

301.041. 1. All commercial motor vehicles and trailers to be operated under agreements as provided for in sections 301.271 to 301.279 shall be registered annually.

2. An application for renewal registration under this section shall be made with all required documents on or before October first of each year. Renewal applications received after October first shall be assessed a penalty of one hundred dollars. The director or his designee may waive the penalty under this subsection for good cause.

3. Fees for commercial motor vehicles renewed under this section shall be paid no later than December first of each year except for payments made on an installment basis as provided in subsection 4 of this section. Renewal application fees not paid by December first shall be assessed a penalty of fifty dollars per vehicle, but in no case shall such penalty exceed one hundred fifty dollars per application. The director or his designee may, for good cause, waive or reduce any penalties assessed under this subsection.

4. Any owner of a commercial motor vehicle or trailer operated under agreements provided in sections 301.271 to 301.279 may elect to pay the annual registration fee in two equal installments, except that no such installment shall be less than one hundred dollars. The first installment shall be payable on or before December first, and the second installment shall be payable on or before June first of that registration year. Every owner electing to pay on an installment basis shall file with the director of the department of revenue, on or before December first, a surety bond, [or] certificate of deposit or irrevocable letter of credit to guarantee the payment of the second installment. The bond or certificate shall be in an amount equal to the payment guaranteed.

5. If a new application for registration of a commercial vehicle is made other than as specified in subsection 1 of this section, the registration fee shall be prorated as follows:

(1) For applications made between April first and June thirtieth, the applicant shall pay three-fourths of the annual registration fee;

(2) For applications made between July first and September thirtieth, the applicant shall pay one-half of the annual registration fee; and

(3) For applications made after October first of the current registration year, the applicant shall pay one-fourth of the annual registration fee.

6. Any applicant who fails to timely renew his registration with all required documents under this section or who fails to timely pay any fees and penalties owed under this section shall not be issued a temporary registration under agreements as provided for in sections 301.271 and 301.279. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the issuance of temporary registration credentials for additions to the registrant's fleet subsequent to renewal.

7. The applicant for registration under this section shall affix the registration plate issued by the director to the front of the vehicle in accordance with the provisions of section 301.130. Any vehicle required to be registered under this section shall display the plate issued to that vehicle no later than December thirty-first of each year. Failure to display the registration plates required by this section shall constitute a class A misdemeanor.

8. The director of revenue may prescribe rules and regulations for the effective administration of this section.

[9. The provisions of this section shall become effective April 1, 1994.]