SF 76

as introduced - 84th Legislature, 2005 1st Special Session (2005 - 2005) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to veterans; authorizing license plates for
veterans of global war on terrorism; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 168.123, subdivisions
1, 2, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, 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 laws
relating to the registration and licensing of a passenger
automobile, pickup truck, van, self-propelled recreational
equipment, or motorcycle, as applicable, the registrar shall
issue:

(1) special license 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 an owner or joint owner of a
passenger automobile, pickup truck, van, or self-propelled
recreational equipment; or

(2) a special motorcycle license plate as described in
subdivision 2, paragraph (a), new text begin (h), or (i), new text end or another special
license plate designed by the commissioner of public safety to
an applicant who is deleted text begin a Vietnam veteran who served after July 1,
1961, and before July 1, 1978, and who served in the active
military service in a branch of the armed forces of the United
States in conducting a foreign war, was discharged under
honorable conditions, and is deleted text end an owner or joint owner of a
motorcycle new text begin and meets the criteria listed in this paragraph and
in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), (h), or (i) new text end . Plates issued
under this clause must be the same size as standard motorcycle
license plates.

(b) The additional fee of $10 is payable for each set of
plates, is payable only when the plates are issued, and is not
payable in a year in which tabs or stickers are issued instead
of number plates. An applicant must not be issued deleted text begin more than two
sets of deleted text end plates for new text begin more than two new text end vehicles listed in paragraph (a)
and owned or jointly owned by the applicant.

(c) The veteran deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end 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' license
plates provided under this section.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 168.123,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Design.

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

(a) For a Vietnam veteran who served after July 1, 1961,
and before July 1, 1978, 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 license 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 license plate number.

(c) For a veteran who served during World War I or World
War II, the special plates must bear the inscription "WORLD WAR
VET" and:

(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
license plate number; or

(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
license plate number.

(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 license plate number.

(e) For a combat wounded veteran who is a recipient of the
purple heart medal, the special plates must bear the inscription
"COMBAT WOUNDED VET" and inscribed with a facsimile 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 license plate number.

(f) For a Persian Gulf war veteran, the special 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 license
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 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 license plate
number.

new text begin (h) For a veteran who is the recipient of:
new text end

new text begin (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 license
plate number;
new text end

new text begin (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 license
plate number; or
new text end

new text begin (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 license plate number.
new text end

new text begin (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 license 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.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 168.123, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Temporary surcharge. new text end

new text begin For license plates issued
under subdivision 2, paragraphs (h) and (i), the commissioner
shall collect a surcharge of $5 on each $10 fee collected under
subdivision 1, paragraph (a). The commissioner shall collect
the surcharge until a total of $7,000 has been collected from
the surcharge, and shall not collect the surcharge thereafter.
The surcharge must be deposited in the vehicle services
operating account in the special revenue fund.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EXEMPTION FROM STUDY.
new text end

new text begin The special license plates authorized under sections 2 and
3 are not subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 168.1293.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 4 are effective the day following final
enactment.
new text end