1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to motor vehicles; authorizing personalized
1.3 	veterans license plates; amending Minnesota Statutes
1.4 	2004, section 168.12, subdivision 2a.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 168.12,
1.7 	subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
1.8 		Subd. 2a.Personalized plates; rules.  (a) Personalized
1.9 	license plates or, if requested for special plates issued under
1.10 	section 168.123 for veterans, 168.124 for medal of honor
1.11 	recipients, or 168.125 for former prisoners of war, applicable
1.12 	personalized special veterans license plates must be issued to
1.13 	an applicant for registration of a passenger automobile
1.14 	including a passenger automobile registered as a classic car,
1.15 	pioneer car, collector car, or street rod; van; pickup truck as
1.16 	defined in section 168.011, subdivision 29, and any other truck
1.17 	with a manufacturer's nominal rated capacity of one ton or less
1.18 	and resembling a pickup truck; motorcycle including a classic
1.19 	motorcycle; or self-propelled recreational vehicle, upon
1.20 	compliance with the laws of this state relating to registration
1.21 	of the vehicle and upon payment of a onetime fee of $100 in
1.22 	addition to the registration tax required by law for the
1.23 	vehicle.  The registrar shall designate a replacement fee fees 
1.24 	for personalized license plates and personalized special
1.25 	veterans license plates issued according to section 168.123that
2.1 	is are calculated to cover the cost of replacement. This fee 
2.2 	These fees must be paid by the applicant whenever
2.3 	the personalized license plates are required to be replaced by
2.4 	law. However, in accordance with sections 168.124, subdivision
2.5 	3, and 168.125, subdivision 1b, a fee may not be charged to
2.6 	replace personalized special veterans license plates issued
2.7 	according to section 168.124 or 168.125.In lieu of the numbers
2.8 	assigned as provided in subdivision 1, personalized license
2.9 	plates and personalized special veterans license plates must
2.10 	have imprinted on them a series of not more than seven numbers
2.11 	and letters in any combination and, as applicable, satisfy the
2.12 	design requirements of section 168.123, 168.124, or 168.125.
2.13 	When an applicant has once obtained personalized license plates
2.14 	or personalized special veterans license plates, the
2.15 	applicant shall have has a prior claim for similar personalized
2.16 	plates in the next succeeding year as long as current
2.17 	registration is maintained.  The commissioner of public safety
2.18 	shall adopt rules in the manner provided by chapter 14,
2.19 	regulating the issuance and transfer of personalized license
2.20 	plates and personalized special veterans license plates.  No
2.21 	words or combination of letters placed on personalized
2.22 	license these plates may be used for commercial advertising, be
2.23 	of an obscene, indecent, or immoral nature, or be of a nature
2.24 	that would offend public morals or decency.  The call signals or
2.25 	letters of a radio or television station are not commercial
2.26 	advertising for the purposes of this subdivision.
2.27 	(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 1,
2.28 	personalized license plates and personalized special veterans
2.29 	license plates issued under this subdivision may be transferred
2.30 	to another motor vehicle described in paragraph (a) and owned or
2.31 	jointly owned by the applicant, upon the payment of a fee of $5,
2.32 	which must be paid into the state treasury and credited to the
2.33 	highway user tax distribution fund.  The registrar may by rule
2.34 	provide a form for notification.  A personalized license
2.35 	plate or personalized special veterans license plate issued for
2.36 	a classic car, pioneer car, collector car, street rod, or
3.1 	classic motorcycle may not be transferred to a vehicle not
3.2 	eligible for such a license plate.
3.3 	(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if the
3.4 	personalized license plates are lost, stolen, or destroyed, the
3.5 	applicant may apply and shall receive duplicate license plates
3.6 	bearing the same combination of letters and numbers and the same
3.7 	design as:
3.8 	(1) the former personalized license plates or personalized
3.9 	special veterans license plates issued according to section
3.10 	168.123,upon the payment of the fee required by section 168.29;
3.11 	or 
3.12 	(2) the former personalized special veterans license plates
3.13 	issued according to section 168.124 or 168.125, without charge.
3.14 	(d) Fees from the sale of permanent and duplicate
3.15 	personalized license plates must be paid into the state treasury
3.16 	and credited to the highway user tax distribution fund.
3.17 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2006.