An Act to create 347.495 and 347.50 (6) of the statutes; Relating to: registration plate concealment devices and providing a penalty.
AB77 would create a new prohibition in Wisconsin law against registration plate concealment devices. The bill defines such a device broadly to include any manual, electronic, or mechanical device designed to switch between multiple plates, move or hide a plate, or alter a plate so the registration number cannot be seen and read. It would make it unlawful to possess, sell, purchase, install, or use such a device, and would also prohibit any motor vehicle from being equipped with one.
The bill also authorizes enforcement measures and penalties. A vehicle found equipped with a prohibited concealment device may be impounded, with the owner responsible for reasonable towing and impound costs before the vehicle is returned. A violation of the new section would be punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, and the bill adds that penalty to the existing motor vehicle statutes in chapter 347.
AB77 would add a new section, s. 347.495, to Wisconsin’s vehicle registration laws and create a corresponding penalty provision in s. 347.50(6). It would expand state law enforcement authority over license plate tampering and concealment technology, affecting vehicle owners, sellers, installers, and users of such devices. The bill would also create a basis for impoundment of vehicles equipped with prohibited devices and shift towing and impound costs to the owner.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge detailed sentiment. Based on the bill’s subject matter and its introduction by a broad bipartisan group of legislators, the measure appears to have been framed as a public-safety and enforcement bill aimed at preventing evasion of vehicle identification laws. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
The main policy issue is whether the state should criminalize not only the use of plate-concealment devices but also their possession, sale, purchase, and installation. Supporters would likely view the bill as a tool to deter evasion of traffic enforcement, tolling, and vehicle identification, while critics could question the breadth of the ban, the criminal penalty, and the impoundment authority. Because no committee discussion is provided, there is no specific recorded disagreement to attribute to named legislators or stakeholder groups.