Motor vehicle insurance verification.

WORKING DRAFT

ORIGINAL SENATE

FILE

NO.
0027

ENROLLED ACT NO. 29, SENATE

FIFTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WYOMING
2006 BUDGET SESSION

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; requiring the department of transportation to establish an accessible common carrier based motor vehicle insurance verification system, as specified; requiring motor vehicle insurers to provide policy information for the verification system, as specified; prohibiting inspection of records except as specified; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

W.S.

16
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4
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203(d)(x), 31
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4
‑
103 by creating a new subsection (e) and 31-8-203(a) are amended to read:

16
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4
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203.

Right of inspection; grounds for denial; access of news media; order permitting or restricting disclosure; exceptions.

(d)

The custodian shall deny the right of inspection of the following records, unless otherwise provided by law:

(x)

Information obtained through a 911 emergency telephone system
or through a verification system for motor vehicle insurance or bond as provided under W.S. 31
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4
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103(e)
except to law enforcement personnel or public agencies for the purpose of conducting official business, to the person in interest, or pursuant to a court order;

31
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4
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103.

Failure to maintain liability coverage; penalties; exceptions.

(e)

The department shall adopt by rule and regulation an on-line verification system for motor vehicle insurance or bond as required by this section, subject to the following:

(i)

The verification system shall be accessible through the Internet, World Wide Web or a similar proprietary or common carrier electronic system by authorized personnel of the department, the courts, law enforcement personnel, any other entities authorized by the department, and insurers authorized by the insurance department to issue the insurance required by this section;

(ii)

The verification system shall be available twenty-four (24) hours a day to verify the insurance status of any vehicle registered in Wyoming through the vehicle's identification number, policy number, registered owner's name or other identifying characteristic or marker as prescribed by the department in its rules and regulations;

(iii)

The verification system shall be installed and operational no later than July 1, 2008, following an appropriate testing period;

(iv)

The department may contract with a private vendor to assist in establishing and maintaining the verification system, which may include a database of information reported to the department by insurers or may provide for direct inquiry of insurers' records by authorized personnel;

(v)

The verification system shall include appropriate provisions, consistent with industry standards, to secure its data against unauthorized access and to maintain a record of all information requests;

(vi)

Information contained in the verification system shall
only be available for inspection under W.S. 16-4-201 through 16-4-205 as provided in W.S. 16
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4
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203(d)(x);

(vii)

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and W.S. 31
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8
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203(a), any police officer as defined by W.S. 31
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5
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102(a)(xxxiii), during a traffic stop or accident investigation, may access information relating to a motor vehicle or an operator subject to the traffic stop, or to a motor vehicle or operator involved in an accident, from the on-line verification system to establish compliance with this section and to verify the current validity of the policy described on any insurance identification card issued pursuant to W.S. 31
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8
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201 and produced by the operator of a motor vehicle during the traffic stop or accident investigation.

31
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8
‑
203.

Verification of insurance; enforcement by insurance commissioner.

(a)

If the department has reason to believe a vehicle owner is not insured as required under W.S. 31
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4
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103, it may request an insurer to verify the existence of an automobile liability policy in a form approved by the department not later than twenty (20) days from the date the request is made.
W.S. 31-8-201 through 31-8-203 shall not be construed to require an insurer to report at any time other than upon the specific request of the department for information
In addition, insurers shall cooperate with the department in establishing and maintaining the insurance verification system provided by W.S. 31
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4
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103(e), and shall provide access to motor vehicle insurance policy status information as provided in the department's rules and regulations
.

Section 2.

Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of transportation for the purposes of this act.

Section 3.

This act is effective July 1, 2006.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

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