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H.B. 17

             1     

UNINSURED MOTORIST IDENTIFICATION

             2     
DATABASE PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

             3     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Joseph G. Murray

             6     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Insurance Code and the Motor Vehicles Code by amending
             11      provisions related to the Uninsured Motorist Identification Database Program.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    reduces the number of consecutive months that a vehicle must show on the
             15      uninsured motorist identification database as being uninsured before the first
             16      warning letter is sent to the vehicle owner;
             17          .    requires certain insurers that issue a policy that includes certain motor vehicle
             18      coverages to provide a record of coverage before the seventh and twenty-first day of
             19      each calendar month rather than once a month to the Department of Public Safety's
             20      designated agent;
             21          .    requires the designated agent to update and compare the database with vehicle
             22      registrations for certain motor vehicle coverages at least twice a month rather than
             23      monthly; and
             24          .    makes technical changes.
             25      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             26          None
             27      Other Special Clauses:


             28          None
             29      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             30      AMENDS:
             31          31A-22-315, as last amended by Chapter 90, Laws of Utah 2004
             32          41-12a-803, as last amended by Chapter 32, Laws of Utah 2003
             33          41-12a-804, as last amended by Chapter 345, Laws of Utah 2000
             34     
             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 31A-22-315 is amended to read:
             37           31A-22-315. Motor vehicle insurance reporting -- Penalty.
             38          (1) As used in this section, "commercial motor vehicle insurance coverage" means an
             39      insurance policy that:
             40          (a) includes motor vehicle liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage,
             41      underinsured motorist coverage, or personal injury coverage;
             42          (b) is provided under a commercial motor vehicle, garage, or truck form; and
             43          (c) is rated from either a commercial manual or rating rule as filed and approved by the
             44      department.
             45          [(1)] (2) (a) [Each] Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), each insurer that issues a
             46      policy that includes motor vehicle liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage,
             47      underinsured motorist coverage, or personal injury coverage under this part shall before the
             48      seventh and twenty-first day of each calendar month provide to the Department of Public
             49      Safety's designated agent selected in accordance with Title 41, Chapter 12a, Part 8, Uninsured
             50      Motorist Identification Database Program, a record of each motor vehicle insurance policy in
             51      effect for vehicles registered or garaged in Utah as of the previous [month] submission that was
             52      issued by the insurer.
             53          (b) Each insurer that issues commercial motor vehicle insurance coverage shall before
             54      the seventh day of each calendar month provide to the Department of Public Safety's
             55      designated agent selected in accordance with Title 41, Chapter 12a, Part 8, Uninsured Motorist
             56      Identification Database Program, a record of each commercial motor vehicle insurance policy
             57      in effect for vehicles registered or garaged in Utah as of the previous month that was issued by
             58      the insurer.


             59          [(b)] (c) This Subsection [(1)] (2) does not preclude more frequent reporting.
             60          [(2)] (3) The record shall include:
             61          (a) the name, date of birth, and driver license number of each insured owner or
             62      operator, and the address of the named insured;
             63          (b) the make, year, and vehicle identification number of each insured vehicle; and
             64          (c) the policy number, effective date, and expiration date of each policy.
             65          [(3)] (4) Each insurer shall provide this information on magnetic tape or in another
             66      form the Department of Public Safety's designated agent agrees to accept.
             67          [(4)] (5) (a) The commissioner may, following procedures set forth in Title 63, Chapter
             68      46b, Administrative Procedures Act, assess a fine against an insurer of up to $250 for each day
             69      the insurer fails to comply with this section.
             70          (b) If an insurer shows that the failure to comply with this section was inadvertent,
             71      accidental, or the result of excusable neglect, the commissioner shall excuse the fine.
             72          Section 2. Section 41-12a-803 is amended to read:
             73           41-12a-803. Program creation -- Administration -- Selection of designated agent
             74      -- Duties -- Rulemaking _ Audits.
             75          (1) There is created the Uninsured Motorist Identification Database Program to:
             76          (a) establish an Uninsured Motorist Identification Database to verify compliance with
             77      motor vehicle owner's or operator's security requirements under Section 41-12a-301 and other
             78      provisions under this part;
             79          (b) assist in reducing the number of uninsured motor vehicles on the highways of the
             80      state;
             81          (c) assist in increasing compliance with motor vehicle registration and sales and use tax
             82      laws; and
             83          (d) assist in protecting a financial institution's bona fide security interest in a motor
             84      vehicle.
             85          (2) The program shall be administered by the department with the assistance of the
             86      designated agent and the Motor Vehicle Division.
             87          (3) (a) The department shall contract in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 56, Utah
             88      Procurement Code, with a third party to establish and maintain an Uninsured Motorist
             89      Identification Database for the purposes established under this part.


             90          (b) The contract may not obligate the department to pay the third party more monies
             91      than are available in the account.
             92          (4) (a) The third party under contract under this section is the department's designated
             93      agent, and shall develop and maintain a computer database from the information provided by:
             94          (i) insurers under Section 31A-22-315 ;
             95          (ii) the division under Subsection (6); and
             96          (iii) the Motor Vehicle Division under Section 41-1a-120 .
             97          (b) (i) The database shall be developed and maintained in accordance with guidelines
             98      established by the department so that state and local law enforcement agencies and financial
             99      institutions as defined in Section 7-1-103 can efficiently access the records of the database,
             100      including reports useful for the implementation of the provisions of this part.
             101          (ii) (A) The reports shall be in a form and contain information approved by the
             102      department.
             103          (B) The reports may be made available through the Internet or through other electronic
             104      medium, if the department determines that sufficient security is provided to ensure compliance
             105      with Section 41-12a-805 regarding limitations on disclosure of information in the database.
             106          (5) With information provided by the department and the Motor Vehicle Division, the
             107      designated agent shall, at least monthly for submissions under Subsection 31A-22-315 (2)(b) or
             108      at least twice a month for submissions under Subsection 31A-22-315 (2)(a):
             109          (a) update the database with the motor vehicle insurance information provided by the
             110      insurers in accordance with Section 31A-22-315 ; and
             111          (b) compare all current motor vehicle registrations against the database.
             112          (6) The division shall provide the designated agent with the name, date of birth,
             113      address, and driver license number of all persons on the driver license database.
             114          (7) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             115      department shall make rules and develop procedures in cooperation with the Motor Vehicle
             116      Division to use the database for the purpose of administering and enforcing this part.
             117          (8) (a) The designated agent shall archive computer data files at least semi-annually for
             118      auditing purposes.
             119          (b) The internal audit unit of the tax commission provided under Section 59-1-206
             120      shall audit the program at least annually. The audit shall include verification of:


             121          (i) billings made by the designated agent; and
             122          (ii) the accuracy of the designated agent's matching of vehicle registration with
             123      insurance data.
             124          Section 3. Section 41-12a-804 is amended to read:
             125           41-12a-804. Notice -- Proof -- Revocation of registration -- False statements --
             126      Penalties -- Exemptions -- Sales tax enforcement.
             127          (1) If the comparison under Section 41-12a-803 shows that a motor vehicle is not
             128      insured for [three] two consecutive months, the Motor Vehicle Division shall direct that the
             129      designated agent provide notice to the owner of the motor vehicle that the owner has 15 days to
             130      provide:
             131          (a) proof of owner's or operator's security in a form allowed under Subsection
             132      41-12a-303.2 (4); or
             133          (b) proof of exemption from the owner's or operator's security requirements.
             134          (2) If an owner of a motor vehicle fails to provide satisfactory proof of owner's or
             135      operator's security to the designated agent, the designated agent shall:
             136          (a) provide a second notice to the owner of the motor vehicle that the owner now has
             137      15 days to provide:
             138          (i) proof of owner's or operator's security in a form allowed under Subsection
             139      41-12a-303.2 (4); or
             140          (ii) proof of exemption from the owner's or operator's security requirements;
             141          (b) for each notice provided, indicate information relating to the owner's failure to
             142      provide proof of owner's or operator's security in the database; and
             143          (c) provide this information to state and local law enforcement agencies as requested in
             144      accordance with the provisions under Section 41-12a-805 .
             145          (3) The Motor Vehicle Division:
             146          (a) shall revoke the registration upon receiving notification under Subsection
             147      41-1a-110 (2); [and]
             148          (b) shall provide appropriate notices of the revocation, the legal consequences of
             149      operating a vehicle with revoked registration and without owner's or operator's security and
             150      instructions on how to get the registration reinstated; and
             151          (c) may direct the designated agent to provide the notices under this Subsection (3).


             152          (4) Any action by the Motor Vehicle Division to revoke the registration of a motor
             153      vehicle under this section may be in addition to an action by a law enforcement agency to
             154      impose the penalties under Section 41-12a-302 or 41-12a-303.2 .
             155          (5) (a) A person may not provide a false or fraudulent statement to the Motor Vehicle
             156      Division or designated agent.
             157          (b) In addition to any other penalties, a person who violates Subsection (5)(a) is guilty
             158      of a class B misdemeanor.
             159          (6) The department and the Motor Vehicle Division shall direct the designated agent to
             160      exempt from this section a farm truck that:
             161          (a) meets the definition of a farm truck under Section 41-1a-102 ; and
             162          (b) is registered as a farm truck under Title 41, Chapter 1a, Motor Vehicle Act.
             163          (7) This part does not affect other actions or penalties that may be taken or imposed for
             164      violation of the owner's and operator's security requirements of this chapter.
             165          (8) If a comparison under Section 41-12a-803 shows that a motor vehicle may not be in
             166      compliance with motor vehicle registration or sales and use tax laws, the Motor Vehicle
             167      Division may direct that the designated agent provide notice to the owner of a motor vehicle
             168      that information exists which indicates the possible violation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 10-20-05 9:15 AM


Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


Interim Committee Note
    as of 12-16-05 7:07 AM


The Transportation Interim Committee recommended this bill.


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