Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 1 and Title 55, Chapter 4.

ANTIQUE MOTOR VEHICLE Present law authorizes, upon receipt of an application on a form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue ("commissioner"), applying for registration and certifying that the motor vehicle for which registration is being applied is an “antique motor vehicle,” the commissioner to issue license plates to owners of antique motor vehicles in accordance with existing law. These license plates must bear the word “ANTIQUE” in capital letters at the bottom of their plate, and a unique identifying number in the center of the plate. This registration is valid so long as title to the antique motor vehicle is vested in the applicant, and must not be subject to the provisions of existing law requiring annual registration. Present law requires any person violating the above provisions, or operating an antique motor vehicle for general transportation purposes on a day other than Saturday or Sunday or a federal holiday, to forfeit the antique motor vehicle registration, to be liable for the regular registration fee for that vehicle, and to be barred from applying for or holding antique motor vehicle registration for five years from the date of the violation. Present law authorizes the owner or lessee of an antique motor vehicle to display the license plates from an era when the manufacture of such vehicle occurred instead of the current license plates; so long as current license plates are maintained in the vehicle by the owner or lessee and produced for inspection upon the request of any law enforcement officer. Present law requires the department of revenue to permit owners of antique motor vehicles to register an official license plate issued by the state from an era when the manufacture of the vehicle occurred instead of registering for new license plates. The vintage license plate must be displayed on the motor vehicle in accordance with existing law. As used in the present law, an "antique motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle over 25 years old with a nonmodified engine and body that is used (i) for participation in, or transportation to and from, club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, and similar uses as a collector's item, (ii) on the highways for the purpose of selling, testing the operation of, or obtaining repairs to or maintenance on such motor vehicle, and (iii) for general transportation on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. This bill adds to the present law by providing that an "antique motor vehicle" also means a farm truck over 25 years old with a nonmodified engine and body that is operated on a public highway for any of the following purposes: (1) Crossing a highway; (2) Operating on a highway for a distance of no more than 75 miles from one part of the owner's land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes to another, regardless of whether the tracts adjoin; (3) On the highway for the purpose of selling, testing the operation of, or obtaining repairs to or maintenance on the farm truck; (4) Taking another vehicle exempt from registration, or a part or subcomponent of the vehicle, to or from a repair shop for repairs or maintenance; (5) Operating on a highway to and from a refuse disposal facility for the purpose of disposing of trash generated on a farm and incidental refuse from the farmer's or the farmer's employee's residence; (6) Operating on a highway for a distance of no more than 75 miles from the land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes for the purpose of obtaining supplies for agricultural or horticultural purposes, seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, or animal feed; (7) Transporting the farm truck's owner between the owner's residence and the land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes; (8) Used by the farm's owner or lessee on a seasonal basis in transporting farm produce and livestock along public highways for a distance of no more than 75 miles from the land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes or to a storage house, packing plant, or market; (9) Owned by a farm's owner or lessee when the farm truck is operated or moved along a highway for no more than 75 miles between a sawmill or sawmill site and the farm owner's land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes to transport sawdust, wood shavings, slab wood, and other wood wastes; or (10) Making a return trip from a marketplace, transporting back to a farm ordinary and essential food, including procuring a meal for a farmer or the farmer's employees, and other products for residential and farm use while engaged in activities stated in this bill, or transporting supplies to the farm. As used in this bill, a "farm truck" means a panel truck, pickup truck, or sport utility vehicle that is used exclusively for agricultural or horticultural purposes on a farm or land owned or leased by the farm truck's owner, but does not include an implement of husbandry; farm machinery or a tractor; a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 7,500 pounds; or a trailer or semitrailer. ANTIQUE FARM TRUCK This bill requires license plates issued to owners of antique motor vehicles to bear the words "ANTIQUE FARM TRUCK" in capital letters at the bottom of the plate and a unique identifying number in the center of the plate. In addition to the application and other requirements in this bill, an owner of an antique motor vehicle must satisfy the following conditions: (1) Certify that the person owns or leases another motor vehicle that is registered with a regular registration plate or a plate issued pursuant to the law regarding special license plates and new specialty earmarked license plates other than an antique motor vehicle plate, and that is used primarily for general transportation; and (2) Provide the approximate location and acreage of the farm or land being used for agricultural or horticultural purposes and the type of commodity farmed. This bill requires any person operating an antique motor vehicle for general transportation purposes or for any purpose other than a purpose listed in this bill to forfeit the antique motor vehicle registration, to be liable for the regular registration fee for that vehicle, and to be barred from applying for or holding antique motor vehicle registration for five years from the date of the violation.