Senate leader's car tag legislation clears House with overwhelming vote

A bill, inspired by the near-fatal car accident of the Senate pro tempore's son, cleared the Oklahoma House of Representatives Tuesday on an 89-2 vote.

Although the bill will have to go back to the Senate for adoption of a perfunctory amendment, all other hurdles have been cleared and can then go to the governor for signature.

Senate Bill 2035 by Sen. Greg Treat, R-OKC, would change how vehicle license plates are transferred when a vehicle is sold in a private sale. Under the bill, a car tag would be transferred to different owners but would remain with the vehicle to which it was initially registered, beginning July 1, 2024. The measure repeals a statute authorizing the transfer of a license plate to a different vehicle.

The bill also includes provisions that allow car dealers to electronically enter and submit the required purchaser information for each vehicle purchased to Service Oklahoma every 24 hours. In addition, the measure includes a requirement that car dealers and sellers must complete the pre-registration of the vehicle by submitting documentation to Service Oklahoma or a licensed operator identifying the vehicle within two-days of the purchase.

Individuals purchasing a motor vehicle in a private sale can also print a temporary tag to place on their vehicle after proper documentation is submitted to Service Oklahoma. Treat said tribal tags will not be impacted by the law change.

State records show that 800,090 automobiles were registered in Oklahoma County in 2020, generating more than $43 million in revenue.

Near-fatal accident was catalyst for new law

The Senate leader said he authored the legislation after his son’s near-deadly accident in January.

On Jan. 5, Treat's son, Mason was stopped on Interstate 40, near Garth Brooks Boulevard by Canadian County Deputy Jose Tayahua-Mendoza. Tayahua-Mendoza pulled Mason over because of an improper tag on his Dodge Charger. Mason spoke with the officer — who was standing on the passenger’s side of the car. Mason explained that his family had purchased the car in a private sale.

More: His son was critically injured during a traffic stop. It's changed this Oklahoma legislator's goals

As Mason spoke with the officer, another vehicle sideswiped the deputy's truck and slammed into Mason’s Charger. The car was destroyed. Mason and Deputy Tayahua-Mendoza were critically injured. Treat said Mason spent 20 days in the hospital recovering from his injuries. He continues his recovery at home and in various physical therapy sessions.

“This goes beyond politics, and I greatly appreciate the members of the House of Representatives who voted in favor of this legislation,” Treat said Tuesday in a media statement. “I nearly lost my son due to no fault of his own. He was driving legally but was pulled over because he didn’t have a tag, even though he had all of the proper vehicle information, insurance and registration forms. Senate Bill 2035 is my main priority this session because I don’t want any families to have to go through what my family has gone through. I deeply appreciate Rep. Kyle Hilbert, who carried this legislation on the House side and all of the coauthors. I look forward to seeing this being signed into law.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Senate passes bill on car tags during private sales