SENATE DOCKET, NO. 691        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 496

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James T. Welch

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act reducing the number of uninsured drivers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

James T. Welch

Hampden

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 691        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 496

By Mr. Welch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 496) of James T. Welch, Colleen M. Garry and Thomas M. Stanley for legislation to establish a universal driver's trust fund to offset the costs of uninsured motorists.  Financial Services.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 477 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act reducing the number of uninsured drivers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 10 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

35VV. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth, a separate fund to be known as the Uninsured Drivers Trust Fund to be used, without appropriation, for the purpose described in section 20 of chapter 90. All monies deposited into the fund shall be expended exclusively for the purposes set forth in this section.

SECTION 2. Section 20 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any person found guilty of attaching an expired or stolen number plate to a motor vehicle, or driving a motor vehicle with an expired or stolen license plate or being in possession of a stolen license plate, shall in addition to the penalties contained in this section also be fined $250. The fine shall be paid to the Uninsured Drivers Trust Fund. Fifty percent of each fine shall be disbursed to the local municipality where the offense occurred and fifty percent shall be distributed to the commissioner of insurance to offset the costs of uninsured motorists. The registrar of motor vehicles shall not renew the driver’s license of any defendant who has failed to pay the fine imposed by this section.