Senate Moves Dealer‑Plate Reform Forward, Sponsor Says Measure Will Curb Abuse

Senate Bill 66, reported favorably by the Transportation & Public Safety Committee, was advanced to the third‑reading calendar Jan. 25 after senators adopted the committee report.

Sponsor (identified in the transcript as Senator Mantis) told the Senate the bill is intended to limit widespread misuse of dealer plates by tying the number of plates a dealer may obtain to actual sales. "With the dealer license, you would receive 2 dealer plates. You would then receive 1 additional dealer plate for every 25 cars sold during the year," the sponsor said, describing the proposed formula. New dealers would receive an initial allotment based on projected first‑year sales, with future allotments tied to actual performance.

The sponsor said a Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division survey showed many entities holding large numbers of dealer plates but recording few or no sales; he cited examples of dealers issued many plates with fewer than three vehicle sales in a year. The bill would also align plate issuance with the statutory definition of a dealer (the transcript cites the existing code as defining a dealer as an entity that sells three cars per year).

Senators asked how many plates would be retired; the sponsor estimated roughly 1,200–1,400 dealer plates could be eliminated by the change. The Senate called the question and recorded 25 ayes, no nays and 4 absent; SB 66 was placed on the third‑reading calendar.

Next steps include third reading and administrative implementation by the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division if the law is enacted.