Minnesota Session Laws - 1994, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 396-S.F.No. 1968 
                  An act relating to veterans; extending eligibility for 
                  special veterans' license plates to allied veterans; 
                  amending Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 168.123, 
                  subdivisions 1 and 2. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 168.123, 
        subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS; FEES.] The registrar 
        shall issue 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 motor 
        vehicle included within the definition of a passenger automobile 
        or which is self-propelled recreational equipment, on payment of 
        a fee of $10 for each set of two plates, payment of the 
        registration tax required by law, and compliance with other laws 
        relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles and 
        drivers.  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 more than two 
        sets of plates for vehicles owned or jointly owned by the 
        applicant. 
           The veteran shall 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 1992, 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. 
           Presented to the governor April 5, 1994 
           Signed by the governor April 7, 1994, 11:25 a.m.