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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2647
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE WILSON.
5897H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o repeal section 26.140, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to
license plates for consular of ficers.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 26.140, RSMo, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu
2 thereof, to be known as sections 26.140 and 301.3064, to read as follows:
26.140. Whenever any consular of ficer shall have registered as such with the
2 Department of State of the United States and has been issued an exequatur or a diplomatic
3 note by the Department of State, the governor shall issue or cause to be issued to such
4 consular of ficer an identification card with a short statement of his or her rights and
5 privileges as such, identifying him or her as a consular of ficer for the country he or she
6 represents. "Consular of ficers", as used in this section, shall be deemed to include consuls
7 general, consuls, vice consuls, consular agents, honorary consuls , and none other . Such
8 consular of ficers are authorized to use a motor vehicle identification plate issued under
9 section 304.3064 identifying him or her as an official consular of ficer . Any person other
10 than a consular of ficer using such vehicle identification plate shall be guilty of a
11 misdemeanor .
301.3064. 1. Notwithstanding any pr ovision of law to the contrary , the dir ector
2 of revenu e shall issue special motor vehicle license plates to any person who is a res ident
3 of this state and who has been duly recog nized by the United States Department of State
4 as a consular officer of a for eign government accr edited to the United States. For
5 purposes of this section, "consular officer" shall have the meaning as ascribed to such
6 term in section 26.140.
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
7 2. The plates shall not contain any wording identifying consular status, but shall
8 featur e a navy blue backgroun d color and, upon requ est of the applicant and appr oval
9 of the dir ector of re venue, a depiction of the national flag of the sending nation fr om
10 which the consular officer derives appointment.
11 3. Each plate issued under this section shall display a unique alphanumeric
12 identifier beginning with the letter "C" followed by no mor e than thr ee digits, consistent
13 with the numbering format used for consular license plates under Missouri law and
14 department of reve nue regul ation.
15 4. Such plates shall be issued upon application, present ation of appr opriate
16 cr edentials issued or reco gnized by the United States Department of State, and payment
17 of the established fees as determined by the dire ctor of rev enue.
18 5. License plates issued under this section shall be made with fully ref lective
19 material, shall meet the design and safety standards pr escribed by the director of
20 r evenue, and shall be clearly distinguishable fr om other plates issued by the state.
21 6. Any pr eviously issued plates bearing the words "Honorary Consul" shall
22 r emain valid until the next r egular r enewal, at which time such plates shall be reis sued
23 in accordance with the pr ovisions of this section.
24 7. The dir ector of r evenue may promulg ate rules and r egulations necessary to
25 administer this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section
26 536.010, that is creat ed under the authority delegated in this section shall become
27 effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the pro visions of chapter 536 and,
28 if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any
29 of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to re view , to
30 delay the effective date, or to disappr ove and annul a rule are subsequently held
31 unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule prop osed or
32 adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
✔
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