House File 604 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 222) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act crediting fees from the sale of certain special motor 2 vehicle registration plates to the emergency medical services 3 fund and the veterans license fee fund, and providing an 4 effective date. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 1881HV 82 7 dea/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 35A.11, Code 2007, is amended to read 1 2 as follows: 1 3 35A.11 VETERANS LICENSE FEE FUND. 1 4 A veterans license fee fund is created in the state 1 5 treasury under the control of the commission.The fund shall 1 6 include the fees credited by the treasurer of state from the 1 7 sale of special veteran license plates pursuant to section 1 8 321.34, subsection 13, paragraph "d".Notwithstanding section 1 9 12C.7, interest or earnings on moneys in the veterans license 1 10 fee fund shall be credited to the veterans license fee fund. 1 11 Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the commission to be 1 12 used to fulfill the responsibilities of the commission. The 1 13 fund shall include the fees credited by the treasurer of state 1 14 from the sale of the following special motor vehicle 1 15 registration plates: 1 16 1. Veteran special plates issued pursuant to section 1 17 321.34, subsection 13, paragraph "d". 1 18 2. National guard special plates issued pursuant to 1 19 section 321.34, subsection 16. 1 20 3. Pearl Harbor special plates issued pursuant to section 1 21 321.34, subsection 17. 1 22 4. Purple heart special plates issued pursuant to section 1 23 321.34, subsection 18. 1 24 5. United States armed forces retired special plates 1 25 issued pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 19. 1 26 6. Silver star and bronze star special plates issued 1 27 pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 20. 1 28 Sec. 2. Section 321.34, subsection 10A, Code 2007, is 1 29 amended to read as follows: 1 30 10A. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PLATES. 1 31 a. The owner of a motor vehiclesubject to registration 1 32 pursuant to section 321.109, subsection 1, motor truck, motor 1 33 home, multipurpose vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, or travel 1 34 trailerreferred to in subsection 12 who is a current member 1 35 of a paid or volunteer emergency medical services agency may, 2 1 upon written application to the department, order special 2 2 registration plates, designed by the department in cooperation 2 3 with representatives designated by the Iowa emergency medical 2 4 services association, which plates signify that the applicant 2 5 is a current member of a paid or volunteer emergency medical 2 6 services agency. The application shall be approved by the 2 7 department, in consultation with representatives designated by 2 8 the Iowa emergency medical services association, and the 2 9 special registration plates shall be issued to the applicant 2 10 in exchange for the registration plates previously issued to 2 11 the person. The fee for the special platesshall beis 2 12 twenty=five dollars whichshall beis in addition to the 2 13 regular annual registration fee. The department shall 2 14 validate the special plates in the same manner as regular 2 15 registration plates are validated under this section at the 2 16 regular annual registration fee. 2 17 b. The special fees collected by the director under this 2 18 subsection shall be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and 2 19 credited to the road use tax fund. Notwithstanding section 2 20 423.43, and prior to the crediting of revenues to the road use 2 21 tax fund under section 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", 2 22 the treasurer of state shall transfer monthly from those 2 23 revenues to the emergency medical services fund created in 2 24 section 135.25 the amount of the special fees collected in the 2 25 previous month for issuance of emergency medical services 2 26 plates. 2 27 Sec. 3. Section 321.34, subsections 16, 17, 18, 19, and 2 28 20, Code 2007, are amended to read as follows: 2 29 16. NATIONAL GUARD SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to 2 30 in subsection 12 who is a member of the national guard, as 2 31 defined in chapter 29A, may, upon written application to the 2 32 department, order special registration plates with a national 2 33 guard processed emblem with the emblem designed by the 2 34 department in cooperation with the adjutant general which 2 35 emblem signifies that the applicant is a member of the 3 1 national guard. The application shall be approved by the 3 2 department in consultation with the adjutant general. The 3 3 special plate fees collected by the director under subsection 3 4 12, paragraph "a", from the issuance and annual validation of 3 5 letter=number designated and personalized national guard 3 6 plates shall be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and 3 7 credited to the road use tax fund. Notwithstanding section 3 8 423.43, and prior to the crediting of revenues to the road use 3 9 tax fund under section 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", 3 10 the treasurer of state shall transfer monthly from those 3 11 revenues to the veterans license fee fund created in section 3 12 35A.11 the amount of the special fees collected in the 3 13 previous month for national guard plates. Special 3 14 registration plates with a national guard processed emblem 3 15 shall be surrendered, as provided in subsection 12, in 3 16 exchange for regular registration plates upon termination of 3 17 the owner's membership in the active national guard. 3 18 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special 3 19 plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for 3 20 and use the special plates subject to registration of the 3 21 special plates in the surviving spouse's name and upon payment 3 22 of the annual five=dollar special plate fee and the regular 3 23 annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving 3 24 spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the 3 25 special plates to the department and the department shall 3 26 issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse. 3 27 17. PEARL HARBOR SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to in 3 28 subsection 12 who was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as a member of 3 29 the armed services of the United States on December 7, 1941, 3 30 may, upon written application to the department, order special 3 31 registration plates with a Pearl Harbor processed emblem. The 3 32 emblem shall be designed by the department in consultation 3 33 with service organizations. The application is subject to 3 34 approval by the department. The special plate fees collected 3 35 by the director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the 4 1 issuance and annual validation of letter=number designated and 4 2 personalized Pearl Harbor plates shall be paid monthly to the 4 3 treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax fund. 4 4 Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the crediting of 4 5 revenues to the road use tax fund under section 423.43, 4 6 subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state shall 4 7 transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans license 4 8 fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the special 4 9 fees collected in the previous month for Pearl Harbor plates. 4 10 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special 4 11 plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for 4 12 and use the special plates subject to registration of the 4 13 special plates in the surviving spouse's name and upon payment 4 14 of the annual five=dollar special plate fee and the regular 4 15 annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving 4 16 spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the 4 17 special plates to the department and the department shall 4 18 issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse. 4 19 18. PURPLE HEART SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to in 4 20 subsection 12 who was awarded a purple heart medal by the 4 21 United States government for wounds received in military or 4 22 naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States may, 4 23 upon written application to the department and presentation of 4 24 satisfactory proof of the award of the purple heart medal, 4 25 order special registration plates with a purple heart 4 26 processed emblem. The design of the emblem shall include a 4 27 representation of a purple heart medal and ribbon. The 4 28 application is subject to approval by the department in 4 29 consultation with the adjutant general. The special plate 4 30 fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph 4 31 "a", from the issuance and annual validation of letter=number 4 32 designated and personalized purple heart plates shall be paid 4 33 monthly to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use 4 34 tax fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the 4 35 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section 5 1 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state 5 2 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans 5 3 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the 5 4 special fees collected in the previous month for purple heart 5 5 plates. 5 6 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special 5 7 plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for 5 8 and use the special plates subject to registration of the 5 9 special plates in the surviving spouse's name and upon payment 5 10 of the annual five=dollar special plate fee and the regular 5 11 annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving 5 12 spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the 5 13 special plates to the department and the department shall 5 14 issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse. 5 15 19. UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES RETIRED SPECIAL PLATES. An 5 16 owner referred to in subsection 12 who is a retired member of 5 17 the United States armed forces may, upon written application 5 18 to the department and upon presentation of satisfactory proof 5 19 of membership, order special registration plates with a United 5 20 States armed forces retired processed emblem. The emblem 5 21 shall be designed by the department in consultation with 5 22 service organizations. The application is subject to approval 5 23 by the department. For purposes of this subsection, a person 5 24 is considered to be retired if the person is recognized by the 5 25 United States armed forces as retired from the United States 5 26 armed forces. The special plate fees collected by the 5 27 director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the issuance 5 28 and annual validation of letter=number designated and 5 29 personalized armed forces retired plates shall be paid monthly 5 30 to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax 5 31 fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the 5 32 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section 5 33 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state 5 34 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans 5 35 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the 6 1 special fees collected in the previous month for armed forces 6 2 retired plates. 6 3 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special 6 4 plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for 6 5 and use the special plates subject to registration of the 6 6 special plates in the surviving spouse's name and upon payment 6 7 of the annual five=dollar special plate fee and the regular 6 8 annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving 6 9 spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the 6 10 special plates to the department and the department shall 6 11 issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse. 6 12 20. SILVER OR BRONZE STAR PLATES. An owner referred to in 6 13 subsection 12 who was awarded a silver or a bronze star by the 6 14 United States government, may, upon written application to the 6 15 department and presentation of satisfactory proof of the award 6 16 of the silver or bronze star, order special registration 6 17 plates with a silver or bronze star processed emblem. The 6 18 emblem shall be designed by the department in consultation 6 19 with the adjutant general. The special plate fees collected 6 20 by the director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the 6 21 issuance and annual validation of letter=number designated and 6 22 personalized silver star and bronze star plates shall be paid 6 23 monthly to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use 6 24 tax fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the 6 25 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section 6 26 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state 6 27 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans 6 28 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the 6 29 special fees collected in the previous month for silver star 6 30 and bronze star plates. 6 31 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special 6 32 plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for 6 33 and use the special plates subject to registration of the 6 34 special plates in the surviving spouse's name and upon payment 6 35 of the annual five=dollar special plate fee and the regular 7 1 annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving 7 2 spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the 7 3 special plates to the department and the department shall 7 4 issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse. 7 5 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This bill, being deemed of 7 6 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 7 7 EXPLANATION 7 8 This bill directs the treasurer of state to credit fees 7 9 from the sale of special national guard, Pearl Harbor veteran, 7 10 purple heart, armed forces retired, bronze star, and silver 7 11 star motor vehicle registration plates to the veterans license 7 12 fee fund. The plates are issued for a special initial fee of 7 13 $25 and renewed annually for a special fee of $5 in addition 7 14 to the regular annual registration fee. Currently, the 7 15 special fees are deposited in the road use tax fund. 7 16 The bill provides that a surviving spouse of a person who 7 17 was issued special national guard, Pearl Harbor veteran, 7 18 purple heart, armed forces retired, bronze star, or silver 7 19 star registration plates may continue to use, or apply for and 7 20 use, the special plates by registering the plates in the 7 21 surviving spouse's name and paying the applicable fees. If 7 22 the surviving spouse remarries, the special plates must be 7 23 exchanged for regular registration plates. This privilege for 7 24 surviving spouses currently applies for congressional medal of 7 25 honor, ex=prisoner of war, and legion of merit special plates. 7 26 The bill requires that fees charged for the issuance of 7 27 special emergency medical services registration plates are to 7 28 be deposited in the emergency medical services fund 7 29 administered by the department of public health. Emergency 7 30 medical services plates are available to members of emergency 7 31 medical services agencies for a fee of $25. There is no 7 32 special fee for annual validation. 7 33 All of the provisions of the bill are effective upon 7 34 enactment. 7 35 LSB 1881HV 82 8 1 dea:nh/je/5