WHEREAS, Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania drivers have been plagued in recent years by an epidemic of vehicle registration sticker theft, with nearly 30,000 Philadelphians and 400,000 Pennsylvanians affected each year; and
WHEREAS, Such theft is perpetrated by criminals seeking to avoid registering or insuring their vehicles, thus raising such costs for all honest drivers everywhere, and causing many otherwise law-abiding citizens to not display their registration stickers; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has inexplicably refused to even acknowledge the critical need for preventing such theft; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Police Department and other law enforcement experts have advocated for the placement of the registration sticker within the windshield, which would both greatly reduce theft and also assist officers in determining quickly if a vehicle is properly registered; now therefore
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to add the following new Chapter:
TITLE 21. MISCELLANEOUS
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CHAPTER 21-1500. MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION
§21-1501. Motor Vehicle Registration Stickers.
The motor vehicle registration renewal sticker issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation may be affixed to the inside left front windshield of the registered vehicle, immediately above the inspection sticker, and not to the registration plate.
SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately.
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Explanation:
Italics
indicate new matter added.
End