HF 2092

1st Unofficial Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 05/08/2014 09:32am

1.1A bill for an act

1.2relating to motor vehicles; authorizing certain special license plates; authorizing
1.3the commissioner to create new special license plates without legislative
1.4enactment;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 168.12, subdivision 2b,
1.5by adding subdivisions; 168.123, subdivision 1.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.12, subdivision 2b, is amended to read:
1.8    Subd. 2b. Firefighters; special plates, rules. (a) The commissioner shall issue
1.9special plates, or a single license plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, to any applicant
1.10who:
1.11    (1) is a member of a fire department receiving state aid under chapter 69, has a
1.12letter from the fire chief, and is an owner of a passenger automobile as defined in section
1.13168.002, subdivision 24 , a one-ton pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision
1.1421b, or a motorcycle as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 19;
1.15    (2) pays a fee of $10 and any other fees required by this chapter;
1.16    (3) pays the registration tax required by this chapter for the motor vehicle; and
1.17    (4) complies with this chapter and rules governing the registration of motor vehicles
1.18and licensing of drivers.
1.19    (b) In lieu of the identification required under subdivision 1, the special plates must
1.20bear an emblem of a Maltese Cross together with any numbers or characters prescribed by
1.21the commissioner.
1.22    (c) Special plates issued under this subdivision may only be used during the period
1.23that the owner of the motor vehicle is a member of a fire department as specified in this
1.24subdivision. When the individual to whom the special plates were issued is no longer a
1.25member of a fire department or when the motor vehicle ownership is transferred, the
2.1owner shall remove the special plates from the motor vehicle. If the commissioner
2.2receives written notification that an individual is no longer qualified for these special
2.3plates, the commissioner shall invalidate the plates and notify the individual of this
2.4action. The individual may retain the plate only upon demonstrating compliance with the
2.5qualifications of this subdivision. Upon removal or invalidation of the special plates, or
2.6special motorcycle plate, either the owner or purchaser of the motor vehicle shall obtain
2.7regular plates or, a regular motorcycle plate, or special plates for the proper registration
2.8classification for the motor vehicle.
2.9    (d) A special motorcycle license plate issued under this subdivision must be the
2.10same size as a standard motorcycle license plate.
2.11    (e) Upon payment of a fee of $5, plates issued under this subdivision for a passenger
2.12automobile or truck may be transferred to another passenger automobile or truck owned
2.13or jointly owned by the person to whom the plates were issued. On payment of a fee of
2.14$5, a plate issued under this subdivision for a motorcycle may be transferred to another
2.15motorcycle owned or jointly owned by the person to whom the plate was issued.
2.16    (f) The commissioner may adopt rules under the Administrative Procedure Act,
2.17sections 14.001 to 14.69, to govern the issuance and use of the special plates authorized
2.18in this subdivision.

2.19    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.12, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.20to read:
2.21    Subd. 2g. Special plate authority. The commissioner has the authority, without
2.22legislative enactment, to create new special plates, to approve their design, to establish
2.23fees for issuance, and to prescribe eligibility requirements.

2.24    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.12, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.25to read:
2.26    Subd. 2h. Retired firefighters; special plates. (a) The commissioner shall issue
2.27special retired firefighters plates to an applicant who:
2.28(1) is a retired member of a fire department defined in section 299N.01, subdivision
2.292, has a letter from the fire chief and administrative officer of the local government unit
2.30affirming that the applicant is a retired firefighter who served ten or more years and
2.31separated in good standing, and is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, a one-ton
2.32pickup truck, a recreational vehicle, or a motorcycle;
2.33(2) pays a fee of $10 for each set of license plates applied for along with any other
2.34fees required by this chapter; and
3.1(3) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles
3.2and licensing of drivers.
3.3(b) The commissioner shall design the special plate emblem so that it is
3.4distinguishable from the emblem on firefighter special plates issued under subdivision 2b.
3.5(c) On payment of a transfer fee of $5, plates issued under this subdivision may be
3.6transferred to another passenger automobile, one-ton pickup truck, recreational vehicle, or
3.7motorcycle registered to the individual to whom the special plates were issued.
3.8(d) Fees collected under this subdivision must be credited to the vehicle services
3.9operating account in the special revenue fund.
3.10(e) This subdivision is exempt from section 168.1293.

3.11    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168.123, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.12    Subdivision 1. General requirements; fees. (a) On payment of a fee of $10 for
3.13each set of two plates, or for a single plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, payment of
3.14the registration tax required by law, and compliance with other applicable laws relating to
3.15vehicle registration and licensing, as applicable, the commissioner shall issue:
3.16(1) special veteran's plates to an applicant who served in the active military service
3.17in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or of a nation or society allied with the
3.18United States in conducting a foreign war, was discharged under honorable conditions, and
3.19is a registered owner of a passenger automobile as defined in section 168.002, subdivision
3.2024, recreational motor vehicle as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 27, or one-ton
3.21pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 21b, but which is not a commercial
3.22motor vehicle as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 16; or
3.23(2) a veteran's special motorcycle plate as described in subdivision 2, paragraph
3.24(a), (e), (f), (h), (i), or (j), or another special plate designed by the commissioner to
3.25an applicant who is a registered owner of a motorcycle as defined in section 168.002,
3.26subdivision 19 , and meets the criteria listed in this paragraph and in subdivision 2,
3.27paragraph (a), (e), (f), (h), (i), or (j). Plates issued under this clause must be the same size
3.28as regular motorcycle plates. Special motorcycle license plates issued under this clause
3.29are not subject to section 168.1293.
3.30(b) The additional fee of $10 is payable for each set of veteran's plates, is payable
3.31only when the plates are issued, and is not payable in a year in which stickers are issued
3.32instead of plates.
3.33(c) The veteran must have a certified copy of the veteran's discharge papers,
3.34indicating character of discharge, at the time of application. If an applicant served in the
3.35active military service in a branch of the armed forces of a nation or society allied with the
4.1United States in conducting a foreign war and is unable to obtain a record of that service
4.2and discharge status, the commissioner of veterans affairs may certify the applicant as
4.3qualified for the veterans' plates provided under this section.