1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to motor vehicles; creating special Gold Star Family license plates for 
1.3 	family members of military personnel who have died in active military service; 
1.4 	exempting plate fee and registration tax for certain survivors;proposing coding 
1.5 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 168.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [168.1253] GOLD STAR FAMILY LICENSE PLATE.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Issuance; eligibility. The commissioner shall issue special plates 
1.9 	bearing the inscription "GOLD STAR FAMILY" to an applicant who is an owner or joint 
1.10 	owner of a motor vehicle, who is certified in writing by the United States Department of 
1.11 	Veterans Affairs or the state commissioner of veterans affairs as being an eligible person, 
1.12 	and who complies with all laws relating to the registration and licensing of motor vehicles 
1.13 	and drivers.  The certification must indicate whether the person is an eligible person as 
1.14 	defined in either clause (1) or clause (2) of subdivision 2, paragraph (b).
1.15 		Subd. 2.Definitions. For purposes of this section:
1.16 	(a) "Active military service" has the meaning given in section 190.05, subdivision 5. 
1.17 	(b) The term "eligible person" includes: 
1.18 	(1) the surviving spouse or surviving biological or adoptive parent of a person 
1.19 	who has died while serving honorably in active military service in the United States 
1.20 	armed forces; and 
1.21 	(2) the surviving biological or adoptive grandparent, sibling, or child of a person 
1.22 	who has died while serving honorably in active military service in the United States 
1.23 	armed forces.
1.24 	(c) "Motor vehicle" means a vehicle for personal use, not used for commercial 
1.25 	purposes, and may include a passenger automobile; a motorcycle; a recreational vehicle; 
2.1 	or a truck resembling a pickup truck and having a manufacturer's nominal rated capacity 
2.2 	of one ton.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Plate fee; exemption. A plate fee may not be charged to an eligible person 
2.4 	defined in subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (1).  For all other eligible persons, the 
2.5 	commissioner shall charge a fee of $10 per set of plates issued under this section.  No 
2.6 	surcharge may be added to this fee.
2.7 		Subd. 4.Annual registration fee; exemption. For each eligible person defined in 
2.8 	subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (1), to whom the commissioner has issued special 
2.9 	plates under this section, the commissioner may exempt one vehicle from the annual 
2.10 	registration tax required under section 168.013.
2.11 		Subd. 5.Design. The special license plates issued under this section must be of a 
2.12 	design and size determined by the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner 
2.13 	of veterans affairs.  The commissioner may design the plates in accordance with section 
2.14 	168.1291, subdivision 2. 
2.15 		Subd. 6.Application. Application for issuance of these plates may be made at 
2.16 	any time. 
2.17 		Subd. 7.Transfer. On payment of a fee of $5 and notification to the commissioner, 
2.18 	special plates issued under this section may be transferred to another personal motor 
2.19 	vehicle owned or jointly owned by the eligible person.  

2.20 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007.