Read the full stored bill text
An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2215 By: Bashore of the House
and
Alvord of the Senate
An Act relating to motor vehicles; amending 47 O.S.
2021, Section 7-606, which relates to failure to
maintain insurance or security; removing provisions
authorizing certain seizure of license plates; and
declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: Motor vehicles
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 7-606, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 7-606. A. 1. An owner or operator who fails to comply
with the Compulsory Insurance Law shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine of not more than Two
Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00), or imprisonment for not more than
thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment and, in
addition thereto, shall be subject to suspension of the driving
privilege of the person in accordance with Section 7-605 of this
title; provided, that if a requesting law enforcement officer
verifies valid and current security and compliance with the
Compulsory Insurance Law through the online verification system,
there shall be no violation of the Compulsory Insurance Law and no
citation shall be issued. Upon issuing a citation under this
paragraph, the law enforcement officer issuing the citation may:
a. seize the vehicle being operated by the person and
cause the vehicle to be towed and stored as provided
by subsection A of Section 955 of this title, if the
officer has probable cause to believe that the vehicle
ENR. H. B. NO. 2215 Page 2
is not insured as required by the Compulsory Insurance
Law of this state, or
b. seize the license plate of the vehicle and issue the
citation to the vehicle operator, provided that the
vehicle is in a drivable condition at the time of
issuing the citation. A copy of the citation retained
by the owner or operator of the vehicle shall serve as
the temporary license plate of the vehicle for up to
ten (10) calendar days after the issuance of the
citation. After ten (10) calendar days, the vehicle
shall not be used until the vehicle operator or owner
completes the requirements to retrieve the license
plate.
(1) After the issuance of the citation, and if the
charges are to be filed in district court, the
law enforcement agency issuing the citation
shall, within three (3) days, deposit the license
plate and deliver a copy of the citation to the
county sheriff's office of the county where the
violation has occurred. If the charges are to be
filed in municipal court, the law enforcement
agency issuing the citation may deposit the
license plate within their own agency. The
county sheriff's office or municipal police
department that is storing the license plate
shall provide the plan administrator with the
seized license plate number by entering the
required information into the statewide database
maintained by the plan administrator. The plan
administrator shall maintain a database including
all seized license plates and shall submit such
information to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
(2) The vehicle owner or operator may retrieve the
license plate from the county sheriff's office or
municipal police department upon providing
verification of compliance with the Compulsory
Insurance Law, payment in full of an
administrative fee of One Hundred Twenty-five
Dollars ($125.00) to the county sheriff's office
or municipal police department and payment in
full of the citation to the court clerk. The
county sheriff's office or municipal police
ENR. H. B. NO. 2215 Page 3
department shall transfer the administrative fee
to the Plan Administrator. The Plan
Administrator shall notify the Oklahoma Tax
Commission that the vehicle owner or operator is
in compliance with this division and shall
distribute the administrative fee as follows:
(a) Twenty Dollars ($20.00) of the fee shall be
distributed to the county sheriff's office
or municipal police department that stored
the seized license plate to defray any
expenses involved in the storage of the
license plate,
(b) Seventy Dollars ($70.00) of the fee shall be
transferred to the law enforcement agency
which issued the citation and may be used
for any lawful purpose,
(c) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) of the fee
shall be transferred to the Temporary
Insurance Premium Pool,
(d) the Plan Administrator shall retain Ten
Dollars ($10.00) of the fee, and
(e) if, by the end of the second business day
immediately following the date of citation,
a person produces proof to the law
enforcement agency that issued the citation
and is storing the seized license plate that
a current security verification form or
equivalent form which has been issued by the
Department of Public Safety reflecting
liability coverage for the person was in
force at the time of the alleged offense,
the person shall not be required to pay the
administrative fee required by this
division. If no such proof is presented
within that time, the person shall pay the
full administrative fee required by this
division, regardless of whether the person
had minimum auto liability insurance
coverage at the time of citation.
ENR. H. B. NO. 2215 Page 4
(3) The county sheriff's office or municipal police
department may dispose of any unclaimed license
plate after ninety (90) days according to
applicable state law. After the license plate
has been disposed of by the county sheriff's
office or municipal police department, the
operator or owner shall be required to obtain a
new license plate pursuant to all existing
requirements.
If the operator of the vehicle produces what appears to be a valid
security verification form and the officer is unable to confirm
compliance through the online verification system or noncompliance
by a subsequent investigation, the officer shall be prohibited from
seizing the license plate or seizing the vehicle and causing such
vehicle to be towed and stored. Further, no vehicle shall be seized
and towed under the provisions of this paragraph if the vehicle is
displaying a temporary license plate that has not expired pursuant
to the provisions of Sections 1137.1 and 1137.3 of this title.
2. An owner other than an owner of an antique or a classic
automobile as defined by the Oklahoma Tax Commission who files an
affidavit that a vehicle shall not be driven upon the public
highways or public streets, pursuant to Section 7-607 of this title,
who drives or permits the driving of the vehicle upon the public
highways or public streets, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of not more than
Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or imprisonment for not more than
thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and in
addition thereto, shall be subject to suspension of the driving
privilege of the person in accordance with Section 7-605 of this
title.
B. A sentence imposed for any violation of the Compulsory
Insurance Law may be suspended or deferred in whole or in part by
the court.
C. Any person producing proof in court that a current security
verification form or equivalent form which has been issued by the
Department of Public Safety reflecting liability coverage for the
person was in force at the time of the alleged offense shall be
entitled to dismissal of the charge. If proof of security
verification is presented to the court by no later than the business
day preceding the first scheduled court appearance date, the
dismissal shall be without payment of court costs. The court may
ENR. H. B. NO. 2215 Page 5
access information from the online verification system to confirm
liability coverage. The court shall not dismiss the fine unless
proof that liability coverage for the person was in force at the
time of the alleged offense is presented to the court.
D. Upon conviction or bond forfeiture, the court clerk shall
forward an abstract to the Department of Public Safety within five
(5) days reflecting the action taken by the court.
E. For purposes of this section, "court" means any court in
this state.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. H. B. NO. 2215 Page 6
Passed the House of Representatives the 24th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 1st day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________