SF 171 (LSB 1955XS (3) 85)

SENATE FILE 171

BY  ERNST

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the issuance of special purple heart vehicle registration plates without fee, and providing an exemption from annual vehicle registration fees for recipients of the purple heart medal.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 35A.11, subsection 4, Code 2013, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.34, subsection 18, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   18.  Purple heart special plates.
   a.  An owner referred to in subsection 12 who was awarded a purple heart medal by the United States government for wounds received in military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States may, upon written application to the department and presentation of satisfactory proof of the award of the purple heart medal, order special registration plates with a purple heart processed emblem. The design of the emblem shall include a representation of a purple heart medal and ribbon. 
 
Each applicant applying for special registration plates under this subsection may order only one set of registration plates under this subsection. The application is subject to approval by the department in consultation with the adjutant general. The special plate fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraphs “a” and “c”, from the issuance and annual validation of letter-number designated and personalized purple heart plates shall be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and deposited in the road use tax fund. The treasurer of state shall transfer monthly from the statutory allocations fund created under section 321.145, subsection 2, to the veterans license fee fund created in section 35A.11 the amount of the special fees collected under subsection 12, paragraph “a”, in the previous month for purple heart plates. 
 
The special registration plates shall be issued at no charge to the applicant in exchange for the registration plates previously issued to the person, if any. A person who is issued special plates under this subsection is exempt from payment of any annual registration fee for the vehicle bearing the special plates.
   b.  The surviving spouse of a person who was issued special plates under this subsection may continue to use or apply for and use the special plates subject to registration of the special plates in the surviving spouse’s name and upon payment of the annual five-dollar special plate fee and the regular annual registration fee for the vehicle. If the surviving spouse remarries, the surviving spouse shall return the special plates to the department and the department shall issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse.
    Sec. 3.  Section 321.145, subsection 2, paragraph b, subparagraph (3), Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   (3)  The amounts required to be transferred pursuant to section 321.34 from revenues available under this subsection shall be transferred and credited as provided in section 321.34, subsections 7, 10, 10A, 11, 11A, 11B, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 for the various purposes specified in those subsections.
    Sec. 4.  PREVIOUSLY ISSUED PURPLE HEART REGISTRATION PLATES.  It is the intent of the general assembly that owners of vehicles who were issued special purple heart registration plates prior to the effective date of this Act be permitted to continue using the plates on the vehicles for which the plates were issued. The following provisions apply to the owner of one or more vehicles bearing purple heart plates issued prior to the effective date of this Act:
   1.  The owner shall be exempt from the payment of any special plate renewal fee, special personalized plate renewal fee, and annual registration fee, as provided in section 321.34, subsection 18, as amended in this Act, for one vehicle bearing purple heart registration plates at the time of renewal of the vehicle registration. The owner may transfer the special plates to another vehicle upon assignment or transfer of ownership of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued.
   2.  If the owner has one or more additional vehicles bearing purple heart plates, the owner may continue to use the special purple heart plates for the vehicle for which the plates were issued, upon payment of the regular annual registration fee and, if the plate is a personalized plate, payment of the five-dollar personalized plate renewal fee for the vehicle. The special purple heart plates shall be surrendered in exchange for regular registration plates upon assignment or transfer of ownership of the vehicle for which they were issued.
    Sec. 5.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies on and after July 1, 2013, for new applications for purple heart registration plates. For owners of vehicles bearing purple heart registration plates issued prior to the effective date of this Act, this Act applies at the time of registration renewal.
EXPLANATION
   This bill abolishes the fees associated with special purple heart vehicle registration plates and exempts purple heart recipients from the payment of annual registration fees for one vehicle.
   Special purple heart registration plates are currently issued to the owner of a vehicle who was awarded a purple heart medal by the United States government for wounds received in military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States. Standard special plate fees currently apply to purple heart plates. The fee for issuance is $25, and the annual validation fee is $5. Both fees are in addition to the regular annual registration fee for the vehicle, and the amount collected from the fees is deposited in the veterans license fee fund administered by the commission of veterans affairs. Purple heart plates are currently available as personalized plates upon payment of an additional $25 fee for issuance, and subject to an additional $5 personalized plate renewal fee. The personalized plate fees, which are in addition to the special plate fees and the annual registration fee, are credited to the road use tax fund.
   The bill provides that a person who is eligible for special purple heart plates may order only one set of the special plates. The purple heart plates shall be issued without fee, and the owner of the vehicle bearing the special plates is exempt from payment of the annual registration fee for that vehicle. After the effective date of the bill, the issuance of personalized purple heart plates will be discontinued.
   Under current law, the surviving spouse of a person who was issued special purple heart plates may continue to use or apply for and use special purple heart plates upon payment of the special plate fees and annual registration fee for the vehicle. The special plates must be surrendered if the surviving spouse remarries. Under the bill, a surviving spouse may continue to use the one set of special purple heart plates issued without fee.
   The bill addresses previously issued purple heart plates by allowing the owner of one or more vehicles bearing purple heart plates issued prior to July 1, 2013, to be exempt from special plate fees and the annual registration fee for one such vehicle. For any additional vehicle currently bearing purple heart plates, the owner may continue to use the plates, but must pay the annual registration fee, and a personalized plate fee if applicable, and the plates must be surrendered upon assignment or transfer of ownership of the vehicle.
   The bill applies on and after July 1, 2013, for new applications for purple heart registration plates. For purple heart plates issued prior to July 1, 2013, the new provisions apply at the time of registration renewal.