Private Acts of 2004 Chapter 120

SECTION 1.  For the privilege of using the public roads and highways in Decatur County, Tennessee, there is levied upon motor-driven vehicles, and upon the privilege of the operation thereof, except motorcycles, motor-driven bicycles and scooters, farm tractors, self-propelled farm machines not usually used for operation upon public highways or roads, and motor-driven vehicles owned by any governmental agency or governmental instrumentality, and except for other exemptions provided by general law, a special privilege tax for the benefit of such county, which tax shall be in the amount of thirty dollars ($30.00) for each such motor-driven vehicle, the owner of which resides within the county.  This tax applied to, is a levy upon, and shall be paid on each motor-driven vehicle, the owner of which resides within the county.

SECTION 2.  The tax herein levied shall be paid to and collected by the county clerk of Decatur County, who is authorized by Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 67-4-103, to collect such privilege taxes.  The county clerk shall collect this tax at the same time the clerk collects the state privilege tax levied upon the operation of a motor-driven vehicle over the public highways of this state.  The county clerk shall deduct a fee of five percent (5%), or such higher or lower fee as may from time to time be authorized under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-21-701(55), for receiving and paying over county revenue, from the amount of taxes collected and paid over to the county trustee.

SECTION 3.  Payment of the privilege tax imposed hereunder shall be evidenced by a receipt, issued in duplicate by the county clerk, the original of which shall be kept by the owner of the motor-driven vehicle and, if required by the county legislative body by resolution pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-103, by a decal or emblem also issued by the county clerk, which shall be displayed in the manner required by resolution of the county legislative body.  The design of the decal or emblem shall be determined by the county clerk.  The expense incident to the purchase of such decals herein required, as well as the expense of obtaining proper receipts and other records necessary for the performance of the duties herein incumbent upon the county clerk, shall be paid from the general fund of the county.

SECTION 4.  The privilege tax or wheel tax herein levied, when paid, together with full, complete and explicit performance of and compliance with all provisions of this act by the owner, shall entitle the owner of the motor-driven vehicle for which the tax was paid and on which any required decal or emblem has been affixed, as herein provided, to operate or allow to be operated the vehicle over the streets, roads and highways of the county for a period of one (1) year which shall run concurrently with the period established by Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-104, for state registration fees.

In the event a wheel tax decal or emblem is sold by the clerk for a period of more or less than twelve months, the tax imposed shall be proportionate to the annual tax fixed for the vehicle and modified in no other manner, except that the proportional tax shall be rounded off to the nearest quarter of a dollar.

SECTION 5.  In the event any motor-driven vehicle for which the wheel tax has been paid and any require decal or emblem issued and placed thereon become unusable or is destroyed or damaged to the extent that it can no longer be operated over the public roads, streets or highways of the county, or in the event that the owner transfers the title to such vehicle, or completely removes therefrom and destroys the decal or emblem issued for and placed thereon, and the owner makes proper application to the clerk for the issuance of a duplicate decal or emblem to be used by the applicant on another vehicle for the unexpired term for which the original decal or emblem was issued, and the clerk is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the issuance of a duplicate decal or emblem and the applicant pays into the hands of the clerk the sum of five dollars ($5.00), the clerk will then issue to such applicant a duplicate receipt, canceling the original receipt previously delivered to him by the applicant, and will deliver to the applicant a duplicate decal or emblem, which shall be affixed to the motor-driven vehicle for which it is issued, as herein provided, and such duplicate decal or emblem shall entitle the applicant to operate or allow to be operated the vehicle upon the streets, roads and highways of the county for remainder of the period for which the original decal or emblem was issued.  Likewise, in the event a decal or emblem becomes obliterated, erased or defaced, or is destroyed under the provisions of this act, and is therefore illegible and unusable by the owner, upon proper application made by the owner and filed with the clerk, showing such circumstances and facts to be true, then the clerk, upon receipt from the owner of five dollars ($5.00), may issue and deliver to the applicant a duplicate decal or emblem.

SECTION 6.  Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 5-8-102 and 55-4-105, a person violating the provisions of this act commits a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalties provided for in those general law provisions.

SECTION 7.  If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 8.  This act shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the county legislative body of Decatur County.  Its approval or non-approval shall be proclaimed by the presiding officer of the county legislative body and certified by him or her to the secretary of state.

SECTION 9.  For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall be effective upon becoming law, the public welfare requiring it.  For all other purposes, it shall become effective upon approval as provided in Section 8.

Passed: May 10, 2004.