Senate File 443 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 289)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to special motor vehicle registration plates
2 associated with military service, providing for special gold
3 star plates and distinguished service cross, navy cross, air
4 force cross, soldier's medal, sailor's medal, and airman's
5 medal special plates, establishing fees, and crediting fees
6 from the sale of certain special plates to the veterans
7 license fee fund.
8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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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 1A. Legion of merit special plates issued on or after the
1 19 effective date of this Act pursuant to section 321.34,
1 20 subsection 15.
1 21 2. National guard special plates issued pursuant to
1 22 section 321.34, subsection 16.
1 23 3. Pearl Harbor special plates issued pursuant to section
1 24 321.34, subsection 17.
1 25 4. Purple heart special plates issued pursuant to section
1 26 321.34, subsection 18.
1 27 5. United States armed forces retired special plates
1 28 issued pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 19.
1 29 6. Silver star and bronze star special plates issued
1 30 pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 20.
1 31 7. Distinguished service cross, navy cross, and air force
1 32 cross special plates issued pursuant to section 321.34,
1 33 subsection 20A.
1 34 8. Soldier's medal, sailor's medal, and airman's medal
1 35 special plates issued pursuant to section 321.34, subsection
2 1 20B.
2 2 Sec. 2. Section 321.34, subsection 8, Code 2007, is
2 3 amended to read as follows:
2 4 8. CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR PLATES. The owner of a
2 5 motor vehicle subject to registration under section 321.109,
2 6 subsection 1, motorcycle, trailer, or motor truck who has been
2 7 awarded the congressional medal of honor may, upon written
2 8 application to the department, order special registration
2 9 plates which shall be red, white, and blue in color and shall
2 10 bear an emblem of the congressional medal of honor and an
2 11 identifying number. Each applicant applying for special
2 12 registration plates under this subsection may purchase only
2 13 one set of registration plates under this subsection. The
2 14 application is subject to approval by the department and the
2 15 special registration plates shall be issued to the applicant
2 16 in exchange for the registration plates previously issued to
2 17 the person. The special plates are subject to an annual
2 18 registration fee of fifteen dollars. The department shall
2 19 validate the special plates in the same manner as regular
2 20 registration plates are validated under this section. The
2 21 department shall not issue special registration plates until
2 22 service organizations in the state have furnished the
2 23 department either the special dies or the cost of the special
2 24 dies necessary for the manufacture of the special registration
2 25 plate.
2 26 The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special
2 27 plates under this subsection may continue to use the special
2 28 plates subject to registration of the special plates in the
2 29 surviving spouse's name and upon payment of the fifteen dollar
2 30 annual registration fee. If the surviving spouse remarries,
2 31 the surviving spouse shall return the special plates to the
2 32 department and the department shall issue regular registration
2 33 plates to the surviving spouse.
2 34 Sec. 3. Section 321.34, subsection 12A, paragraph a, Code
2 35 2007, is amended to read as follows:
3 1 a. The owner is eligible for, but has relinquished to the
3 2 department or the county treasurer or has not been issued,
3 3 congressional medal of honor, ex=prisoner of war, or legion of
3 4 merit special registration plates under this section, or
3 5 disabled veteran registration plates under section 321.105.
3 6 Sec. 4. Section 321.34, subsections 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
3 7 and 20, Code 2007, are amended to read as follows:
3 8 15. LEGION OF MERIT SPECIAL PLATES. The owner of a motor
3 9 vehicle subject to registration under section 321.109,
3 10 subsection 1, motorcycle, trailer, or motor truck, referred to
3 11 in subsection 12 who has been awarded the legion of merit may,
3 12 upon written application to the department and presentation of
3 13 satisfactory proof of the award of the legion of merit as
3 14 established by the Congress of the United States, order
3 15 special registration plates with a legion of merit processed
3 16 emblem. The emblem shall be designed by the department in
3 17 cooperation with the adjutant general and shall signify that
3 18 the owner was awarded the legion of merit. The application is
3 19 subject to approval by the department, in consultation with
3 20 the adjutant general. The special plates shall be issued at
3 21 no charge and are subject to an annual registration fee of
3 22 fifteen dollars. The county treasurer shall validate the
3 23 special plates in the same manner as regular registration
3 24 plates are validated under this section. The special plate
3 25 fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph
3 26 "a", from the issuance and annual validation of letter=number
3 27 designated and personalized legion of merit plates issued on
3 28 or after the effective date of this Act shall be paid monthly
3 29 to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax
3 30 fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the
3 31 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section
3 32 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state
3 33 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans
3 34 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the
3 35 special fees collected in the previous month for legion of
4 1 merit plates.
4 2 Special legion of merit plates issued prior to the
4 3 effective date of this Act are subject to an annual
4 4 registration fee of fifteen dollars and shall be validated by
4 5 the county treasurer in the same manner as regular
4 6 registration plates are validated under this section. The
4 7 surviving spouse of a person who was issued special plates
4 8 under this subsection prior to the effective date of this Act
4 9 may continue to use or apply for and use the special plates
4 10 subject to registration of the special plates in the surviving
4 11 spouse's name and upon payment of the annual fifteen dollar
4 12 registration fee. If the surviving spouse remarries, the
4 13 surviving spouse shall return the special plates to the
4 14 department and the department shall issue regular registration
4 15 plates to the surviving spouse.
4 16 16. NATIONAL GUARD SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to
4 17 in subsection 12 who is a member of the national guard, as
4 18 defined in chapter 29A, may, upon written application to the
4 19 department, order special registration plates with a national
4 20 guard processed emblem with the emblem designed by the
4 21 department in cooperation with the adjutant general which
4 22 emblem signifies that the applicant is a member of the
4 23 national guard. The application shall be approved by the
4 24 department in consultation with the adjutant general. The
4 25 special plate fees collected by the director under subsection
4 26 12, paragraph "a", from the issuance and annual validation of
4 27 letter=number designated and personalized national guard
4 28 plates shall be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and
4 29 credited to the road use tax fund. Notwithstanding section
4 30 423.43, and prior to the crediting of revenues to the road use
4 31 tax fund under section 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b",
4 32 the treasurer of state shall transfer monthly from those
4 33 revenues to the veterans license fee fund created in section
4 34 35A.11 the amount of the special fees collected in the
4 35 previous month for national guard plates. Special
5 1 registration plates with a national guard processed emblem
5 2 shall be surrendered, as provided in subsection 12, in
5 3 exchange for regular registration plates upon termination of
5 4 the owner's membership in the active national guard.
5 5 17. PEARL HARBOR SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to in
5 6 subsection 12 who was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as a member of
5 7 the armed services of the United States on December 7, 1941,
5 8 may, upon written application to the department, order special
5 9 registration plates with a Pearl Harbor processed emblem. The
5 10 emblem shall be designed by the department in consultation
5 11 with service organizations. The application is subject to
5 12 approval by the department. The special plate fees collected
5 13 by the director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the
5 14 issuance and annual validation of letter=number designated and
5 15 personalized Pearl Harbor plates shall be paid monthly to the
5 16 treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax fund.
5 17 Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the crediting of
5 18 revenues to the road use tax fund under section 423.43,
5 19 subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state shall
5 20 transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans license
5 21 fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the special
5 22 fees collected in the previous month for Pearl Harbor plates.
5 23 18. PURPLE HEART SPECIAL PLATES. An owner referred to in
5 24 subsection 12 who was awarded a purple heart medal by the
5 25 United States government for wounds received in military or
5 26 naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States may,
5 27 upon written application to the department and presentation of
5 28 satisfactory proof of the award of the purple heart medal,
5 29 order special registration plates with a purple heart
5 30 processed emblem. The design of the emblem shall include a
5 31 representation of a purple heart medal and ribbon. The
5 32 application is subject to approval by the department in
5 33 consultation with the adjutant general. The special plate
5 34 fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph
5 35 "a", from the issuance and annual validation of letter=number
6 1 designated and personalized purple heart plates shall be paid
6 2 monthly to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use
6 3 tax fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the
6 4 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section
6 5 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state
6 6 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans
6 7 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the
6 8 special fees collected in the previous month for purple heart
6 9 plates.
6 10 19. UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES RETIRED SPECIAL PLATES. An
6 11 owner referred to in subsection 12 who is a retired member of
6 12 the United States armed forces may, upon written application
6 13 to the department and upon presentation of satisfactory proof
6 14 of membership, order special registration plates with a United
6 15 States armed forces retired processed emblem. The emblem
6 16 shall be designed by the department in consultation with
6 17 service organizations. The application is subject to approval
6 18 by the department. For purposes of this subsection, a person
6 19 is considered to be retired if the person is recognized by the
6 20 United States armed forces as retired from the United States
6 21 armed forces. The special plate fees collected by the
6 22 director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the issuance
6 23 and annual validation of letter=number designated and
6 24 personalized armed forces retired plates shall be paid monthly
6 25 to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax
6 26 fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the
6 27 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section
6 28 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state
6 29 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans
6 30 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the
6 31 special fees collected in the previous month for armed forces
6 32 retired plates.
6 33 20. SILVER OR BRONZE STAR PLATES. An owner referred to in
6 34 subsection 12 who was awarded a silver or a bronze star by the
6 35 United States government, may, upon written application to the
7 1 department and presentation of satisfactory proof of the award
7 2 of the silver or bronze star, order special registration
7 3 plates with a silver or bronze star processed emblem. The
7 4 emblem shall be designed by the department in consultation
7 5 with the adjutant general. The special plate fees collected
7 6 by the director under subsection 12, paragraph "a", from the
7 7 issuance and annual validation of letter=number designated and
7 8 personalized silver star and bronze star plates shall be paid
7 9 monthly to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use
7 10 tax fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the
7 11 crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under section
7 12 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state
7 13 shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans
7 14 license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the
7 15 special fees collected in the previous month for silver star
7 16 and bronze star plates.
7 17 Sec. 5. Section 321.34, Code 2007, is amended by adding
7 18 the following new subsections:
7 19 NEW SUBSECTION. 20A. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, NAVY, OR AIR
7 20 FORCE CROSS PLATES. An owner referred to in subsection 12 who
7 21 was awarded a distinguished service cross, a navy cross, or an
7 22 air force cross by the United States government may, upon
7 23 written application to the department and presentation of
7 24 satisfactory proof of the award, order special registration
7 25 plates with a distinguished service cross, navy cross, or air
7 26 force cross processed emblem. The emblem shall be designed by
7 27 the department in consultation with the adjutant general. The
7 28 special plate fees collected by the director under subsection
7 29 12, paragraph "a", from the issuance and annual validation of
7 30 letter=number designated and personalized distinguished
7 31 service cross, navy cross, and air force cross plates shall be
7 32 paid monthly to the treasurer of state and credited to the
7 33 road use tax fund. Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior
7 34 to the crediting of revenues to the road use tax fund under
7 35 section 423.43, subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of
8 1 state shall transfer monthly from those revenues to the
8 2 veterans license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount
8 3 of the special fees collected in the previous month for
8 4 distinguished service cross, navy cross, and air force cross
8 5 plates.
8 6 NEW SUBSECTION. 20B. SOLDIER'S, SAILOR'S, OR AIRMAN'S
8 7 MEDAL PLATES. An owner referred to in subsection 12 who was
8 8 awarded a soldier's medal, a sailor's medal, or an airman's
8 9 medal by the United States government may, upon written
8 10 application to the department and presentation of satisfactory
8 11 proof of the award, order special registration plates with a
8 12 soldier's medal, sailor's medal, or airman's medal processed
8 13 emblem. The emblem shall be designed by the department in
8 14 consultation with the adjutant general. The special plate
8 15 fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph
8 16 "a", from the issuance and annual validation of letter=number
8 17 designated and personalized soldier's medal, sailor's medal,
8 18 and airman's medal plates shall be paid monthly to the
8 19 treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax fund.
8 20 Notwithstanding section 423.43, and prior to the crediting of
8 21 revenues to the road use tax fund under section 423.43,
8 22 subsection 1, paragraph "b", the treasurer of state shall
8 23 transfer monthly from those revenues to the veterans license
8 24 fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the special
8 25 fees collected in the previous month for soldier's medal,
8 26 sailor's medal, and airman's medal plates.
8 27 NEW SUBSECTION. 24. GOLD STAR PLATES. An owner referred
8 28 to in subsection 12 who is the surviving spouse or surviving
8 29 parent of a deceased member of the United States armed forces
8 30 who died during a time of military conflict may order special
8 31 registration plates bearing a gold star emblem upon written
8 32 application to the department accompanied by satisfactory
8 33 supporting documentation as determined by the department. The
8 34 gold star emblem shall be designed by the department in
8 35 cooperation with the commission of veterans affairs. Letter
9 1 number designated gold star plates shall be issued at no
9 2 charge and shall be validated annually by the county treasurer
9 3 upon payment of the regular annual registration fee. The fee
9 4 for issuance of personalized gold star plates is twenty=five
9 5 dollars, and the annual fee for personalized gold star plates
9 6 is five dollars, which is in addition to the regular annual
9 7 registration fee.
9 8 Sec. 6. Section 321.166, subsections 2 and 9, Code 2007,
9 9 are amended to read as follows:
9 10 2. Every registration plate or pair of plates shall
9 11 display a registration plate number which shall consist of
9 12 alphabetical or numerical characters or a combination thereof
9 13 and the name of this state, which may be abbreviated. Every
9 14 registration plate issued by the county treasurer shall
9 15 display the name of the county, including any plate issued
9 16 pursuant to section 321.34, except Pearl Harbor and purple
9 17 heart registration plates issued prior to January 1, 1997, and
9 18 collegiate, fire fighter, and congressional medal of honor
9 19 registration plates. Special truck registration plates shall
9 20 display the word "special".
9 21 9. Special registration plates issued pursuant to section
9 22 321.34 beginning January 1, 1997, other than congressional
9 23 medal of honor, collegiate, fire fighter, and natural
9 24 resources registration plates, shall be consistent with the
9 25 design and color of regular registration plates but shall
9 26 provide a space on a portion of the plate for the purpose of
9 27 allowing the placement of a distinguishing processed emblem.
9 28 Special registration plates shall also comply with the
9 29 requirements for regular registration plates as provided in
9 30 this section to the extent the requirements are consistent
9 31 with the section authorizing a particular special vehicle
9 32 registration plate.
9 33 EXPLANATION
9 34 This bill requires the department of transportation to make
9 35 available special registration plates for recipients of the
10 1 distinguished service cross, the navy cross, the air force
10 2 cross, the soldier's medal, the sailor's medal, and the
10 3 airman's medal. Emblems for the plates shall be designed by
10 4 the department in consultation with the adjutant general.
10 5 The bill directs the treasurer of state to credit fees from
10 6 the sale of the new special plates and the existing special
10 7 national guard, Pearl Harbor veteran, purple heart, armed
10 8 forces retired, bronze star, and silver star plates to the
10 9 veterans license fee fund. The plates are all subject to a
10 10 special initial fee of $25 and are renewed annually for a
10 11 special fee of $5 in addition to the regular annual
10 12 registration fee. Currently, the special fees from the
10 13 existing plates are deposited in the road use tax fund.
10 14 The bill establishes a new special motor vehicle
10 15 registration plate to be issued to a surviving spouse or
10 16 surviving parent of a deceased member of the United States
10 17 armed forces who died during a time of military conflict. The
10 18 special gold star registration plates shall be issued at no
10 19 charge to the applicant and renewed upon payment of the annual
10 20 registration fees for the vehicle. Personalized gold star
10 21 plates shall be issued for a fee of $25 and renewed upon
10 22 payment of the annual registration fees for the vehicle plus a
10 23 $5 personalized plate renewal fee.
10 24 The bill revises the fees charged for legion of merit
10 25 special plates. The bill provides that new legion of merit
10 26 plates shall be subject to the same fees as other special
10 27 military plates: $25 for issuance and $5 for annual renewal
10 28 in addition to regular registration fees. The special fees
10 29 are to be credited to the veterans license fee fund.
10 30 Currently, legion of merit plates are issued at no charge and
10 31 renewed annually for a fee of $15. Persons who have been
10 32 issued legion of merit plates prior to the effective date of
10 33 the bill may continue to use those plates for the lower fee.
10 34 The bill also makes corrective amendments to references to
10 35 the medal of honor.
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