HF 779 (LSB 1967HV (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 779

BY  COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 292)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to persons eligible for special registration plates with a veteran processed emblem.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.34, subsection 27, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  An owner referred to in subsection 12 who served in the armed forces or reserve forces of the United States or the Iowa national guard, regardless of the number of years of service, and was discharged under honorable conditions may, upon written application to the department and upon presentation of satisfactory proof of military service and discharge under honorable conditions, order special registration plates bearing a distinguishing processed emblem depicting the word “veteran” below an image of the American flag. The application is subject to approval by the department. The special plate fees collected by the director under subsection 12, paragraph “a”, from the annual validation of letter-number designated United States veteran plates, and subsection 12, paragraph “c”, from the issuance and annual validation of personalized United States veteran 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 United States veteran plates.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, the department of transportation (DOT) is authorized to issue special registration plates with a distinguishing processed emblem depicting the word “veteran” below an image of the American flag to a motor vehicle owner who served in the armed forces of the United States and was discharged under honorable conditions. Pursuant to rules adopted by the DOT (761 IAC 401.31), an application for special plates with a veteran processed emblem must be submitted to the commission of veterans affairs on a form prescribed by the DOT. The commission of veterans affairs must determine whether the applicant is a veteran and, if so, certify this fact on the application form.
   This bill makes persons who served in the reserve forces of the United States or the Iowa national guard, regardless of the number of years of service, and who were discharged under honorable conditions eligible to receive special registration plates with a veteran processed emblem.
   Under current law, “veteran”, when used in Code chapter 35 (veterans affairs), and in numerous other provisions by reference, includes former members of the reserve forces of the United States or the Iowa national guard who served at least 20 years and who were discharged under honorable conditions; members of the reserve forces of the United States or the Iowa national guard who were activated for federal duty, other than training, for a minimum aggregate of 90 days, and were discharged under honorable conditions or were retired in accordance with federal law; and members of the reserve forces of the United States or the Iowa national guard who have served at least 20 years and who continue to serve.