HF 619 (LSB 2661HH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 619

BY  SEXTON

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to air medal special registration plates, and providing fees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 35A.11, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0i.  Air medal special plates issued pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 20D.
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.34, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  20D.  Air medal plates.
   a.  An owner referred to in subsection 12 who was awarded an air medal by the United States government may, upon written application to the department and presentation of satisfactory proof of the award, order special registration plates with an air medal distinguishing processed emblem. The emblem shall be designed by the department in consultation with the adjutant general and must include a representation of the air medal. The special plate fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph “a”, from the annual validation of letter-number designated air medal plates, and subsection 12, paragraph “c”, from the issuance and annual validation of personalized air medal 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 air medal plates.
   b.  Notwithstanding subsection 12, paragraph “a”, an owner who is approved for special registration plates under this subsection shall be issued one set of special registration plates with an air medal distinguishing processed emblem at no charge.
   c.  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.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill authorizes the department of transportation (DOT) to issue special registration plates bearing an air medal distinguishing processed emblem designed by the DOT in consultation with the adjutant general. The processed emblem must include a representation of the air medal. The air medal was established in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. A person who was awarded the air medal may apply to the DOT and present satisfactory proof of the award to order the plates.
   Under current law, the fee for the issuance of special registration plates with a processed emblem is $25 which is in addition to the regular annual registration fee. The bill provides that a person who is approved for the air medal plates must be issued one set of plates at no charge.
   The bill requires the fees collected by the DOT for the air medal plates to be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and deposited in the road use tax fund. The treasurer of state must credit monthly from the statutory allocations fund to the veterans license fee fund the amount of special fees for air medal plates collected in the previous month.
   The bill authorizes the surviving spouse of a person who was issued air medal plates to continue to use or apply for and use the plates subject to certain conditions.