&nbsTo repeal section 303.026, RSMo 1994, relating to financial responsibility for motor vehicles, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject, with penalty provisions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:

     Section A. Section 303.026, RSMo 1994, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof to be known as section 303.026, to read as follows:

     303.026. 1. The director shall inform each owner who registers a motor vehicle of the following:

(1) The existence of the requirement that every motor vehicle owner in the state maintain his financial responsibility;

     (2) The requirement that every motor vehicle owner show an insurance identification card, or a copy thereof, or other proof of financial responsibility in effect at the time of vehicle registration; this notice shall be given at least thirty days prior to the month for renewal and shall be shown in bold, colored print;

[(2)] (3) The penalties which apply to violations of the requirement to maintain financial responsibility;

[(3)] (4) The benefits of maintaining coverages in excess of those which are required;

[(4)] (5) The director's authority to conduct samples of Missouri motor vehicle owners to insure compliance.

2. No motor vehicle owner shall be issued registration for a vehicle unless the owner, or his authorized agent, signs [a statement] a declaration provided by the director of revenue at the time of registration of the vehicle certifying that such owner has and will maintain, during the period of registration, financial responsibility with respect to each motor vehicle that is owned, licensed or operated on the streets or highways. The declaration shall state clearly and in bold print the following: "Any false declaration is a crime under section 575.060 of Missouri law." In addition, every motor vehicle owner shall show proof of such financial responsibility by presenting his or her insurance identification card, as described in section 303.024, or a copy thereof, or some other proof of financial responsibility in the form prescribed by the director of revenue at the time of registration unless such owner registers his vehicle in conjunction with a reciprocity agreement entered into by the Missouri highway reciprocity commission pursuant to sections 301.271 to 301.279, RSMo, or unless the owner insures the vehicle according to the requirements of the division of transportation pursuant to section 390.126, RSMo.

3. The director shall annually select for financial responsibility verification, a sample of the motor vehicle registrations or licenses which is statistically significant to determine the number of insured motorists in the state of Missouri, or to insure compliance. The director may utilize a variety of sampling techniques including but not limited to the processing of uniform traffic tickets, point system warning letters, and random surveys of motor vehicle registrations.

4. Upon determination that the information provided by the owner or authorized agent is inaccurate, the director shall notify the owner of the need to provide, within thirty days, information establishing the existence of the required financial responsibility as of the date of such notice. Failure to provide such information shall result in the suspension of all registrations of the owner's motor vehicles failing to meet such requirements, as is provided in section 303.041.