HF 50

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/03/2011 03:13pm

A bill for an act
relating to veterans; authorizing special women veterans license plates;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 168.123,
subdivisions 1, 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 168.123, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

General requirements; fees.

(a) On payment of a fee of $10 for
each set of two plates, or for a single plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, payment of
the registration tax required by law, and compliance with other applicable laws relating to
vehicle registration and licensing, as applicable, the commissioner shall issue:

(1) special veteran's plates to an applicant who served in the active military service
in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or of a nation or society allied with the
United States in conducting a foreign war, was discharged under honorable conditions,
and is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, recreational motor vehicle, or
truck resembling a pickup truck and having a manufacturer's nominal rated capacity
of one ton, but which is not a commercial motor vehicle as defined in section 169.011,
subdivision 16; or

(2) a veteran's special motorcycle plate as described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a),
(f), (h), (i), or (j), or another special plate designed by the commissioner to an applicant
who is a registered owner of a motorcycle and meets the criteria listed in this paragraph
and in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), (f), (h), (i), or (j). Plates issued under this clause must
be the same size as regular motorcycle plates. Special motorcycle license plates issued
under this clause are not subject to section 168.1293.

(b) The additional fee of $10 is payable for each set of veteran's plates, is payable
only when the plates are issued, and is not payable in a year in which stickers are issued
instead of plates.

(c) The veteran must have a certified copy of the veteran's discharge papers,
indicating character of discharge, at the time of application. If an applicant served in the
active military service in a branch of the armed forces of a nation or society allied with the
United States in conducting a foreign war and is unable to obtain a record of that service
and discharge status, the commissioner of veterans affairs may certify the applicant as
qualified for the veterans' plates provided under this section.

(d) For license plates issued for one-ton trucks described in paragraph (a), clause
(1), the commissioner shall collect a surcharge of $5 on each $10 fee collected under
paragraph (a). The surcharge must be deposited in the vehicle services operating account
in the special revenue fund.

new text begin (e) For license plates issued for the woman veteran plate described in subdivision
2, paragraph (m), the commissioner shall collect a surcharge of $5 on each $10 fee
collected for that plate under paragraph (a). Where applicable, this surcharge is in lieu
of the surcharge described in paragraph (d). The surcharge must be deposited in the
women veterans license plate account, established in the state treasury, and the money in
that account is appropriated each year to the commissioner of veterans affairs for a grant
to the Minnesota Women Veterans Initiative Working Group for use in promoting public
recognition of women serving in the military and of women veterans.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 168.123, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Design.

The commissioner of veterans affairs shall design the emblem for
the veterans' special plates, subject to the approval of the commissioner, that satisfy the
following requirements:

(a) For a Vietnam veteran who served after July 1, 1961, and before July 1, 1978,
in the active military service in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or a
nation or society allied with the United States the special plates must bear the inscription
"VIETNAM VET" and the letters "V" and "V" with the first letter directly above the
second letter and both letters just preceding the first numeral of the special plate number.

(b) For a veteran stationed on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, or offshore, during the
attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the special plates must bear the inscription
"PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR" and the letters "P" and "H" with the first letter directly
above the second letter and both letters just preceding the first numeral of the special
plate number.

(c) For a veteran who served during deleted text begin World War I or deleted text end World War II, the plates must
bear the inscription "WORLD WAR new text begin II new text end VET" deleted text begin and: deleted text end new text begin .
new text end

deleted text begin (1) for a World War I veteran, the characters "W" and "I" with the first character
directly above the second character and both characters just preceding the first numeral
of the special plate number; or
deleted text end

deleted text begin (2) for a World War II veteran, the characters "W" and "II" with the first character
directly above the second character and both characters just preceding the first numeral of
the special plate number.
deleted text end

(d) For a veteran who served during the Korean Conflict, the special plates must
bear the inscription "KOREAN VET" and the letters "K" and "V" with the first letter
directly above the second letter and both letters just preceding the first numeral of the
special plate number.

(e) For a combat wounded veteran who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, the
plates must bear the inscription "COMBAT WOUNDED VET" and have a facsimile or an
emblem of the official Purple Heart medal and the letters "C" over "W" with the first letter
directly over the second letter just preceding the first numeral of the special plate number.

A member of the United States armed forces who is serving actively in the military and
who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal is also eligible for this license plate. The
commissioner of public safety shall ensure that information regarding the required proof
of eligibility for any applicant under this paragraph who has not yet been issued military
discharge papers is distributed to the public officials responsible for administering this
section.

(f) For a Persian Gulf War veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "GULF
WAR VET" and the letters "G" and "W" with the first letter directly above the second
letter and both letters just preceding the first numeral of the special plate number. For
the purposes of this section, "Persian Gulf War veteran" means a person who served on
active duty after August 1, 1990, in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or
a nation or society allied with the United States or the United Nations during Operation
Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, or other military operation in the Persian Gulf
area combat zone as designated in United States Presidential Executive Order No. 12744,
dated January 21, 1991.

(g) For a veteran who served in the Laos War after July 1, 1961, and before July 1,
1978, the special plates must bear the inscription "LAOS WAR VET" and the letters "L"
and "V" with the first letter directly above the second letter and both letters just preceding
the first numeral of the special plate number.

(h) For a veteran who is the recipient of:

(1) the Iraq Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of
that medal and must bear the inscription "IRAQ WAR VET" directly below the special
plate number;

(2) the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a
facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription "AFGHAN WAR VET" directly
below the special plate number;

(3) the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must
be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription "GWOT
VETERAN" directly below the special plate number; or

(4) the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must bear an
appropriate inscription that includes a facsimile of that medal.

(i) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the
inscription "GWOT VETERAN" directly below the special plate number. In addition,
any member of the National Guard or other military reserves who has been ordered to
federally funded state active service under United States Code, title 32, as defined in
section 190.05, subdivision 5b, and who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal, is eligible for the license plate described in this paragraph, irrespective of
whether that person qualifies as a veteran under section 197.447.

(j) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Korean Defense Service Medal,
the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the
inscription "KOREAN DEFENSE SERVICE" directly below the special plate number.

(k) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Bronze Star medal, the plates must bear
the inscription "BRONZE STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official
Bronze Star medal.

(l) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Silver Star medal, the plates must bear
the inscription "SILVER STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official
Silver Star medal.

new text begin (m) For a woman veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "WOMAN
VETERAN." The commissioner of veterans affairs, in consultation with the commissioner
of public safety, a representative of the Minnesota Women Veterans Initiative Working
Group, and any interested Minnesota veterans service organization, shall design the
special plates, subject to the approval of the commissioner of public safety.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2011.
new text end