AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VETERAN DESIGNATION ON DRIVER LICENSES.

Plain English Breakdown

The official text lists eight branches plus reserve components and the National Guard, which creates a slight ambiguity in counting total groups versus branch types.

SB76: Updating Veteran Designation for Driver Licenses

This law updates Delaware rules so that veterans from all eight uniformed services, including NOAA and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, can get a veteran mark on their driver licenses.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the legal phrase 'United States Armed Forces or of the National Guard' to 'uniformed services of the United States.'
• Defines 'uniformed services of the United States' to include eight specific service branches, reserve components, and the National Guard.
• Clarifies that veterans from all these groups are qualified for a veteran designation on their driver licenses.
• Requires applicants to provide satisfactory proof of service in these uniformed services.
• States that applicants must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.

Who It Names or Affects

• Veterans of the eight U.S. uniformed services and reserve components who live in Delaware
• The Division of Motor Vehicles, which issues driver licenses with the veteran designation

Terms To Know

Uniformed services of the United States

A legal term that includes the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA officers, reserve components, and the National Guard.

Veteran designation

A special mark placed on a driver license to show the holder is a veteran of one of the uniformed services.

Limits and Unknowns

• The official text does not specify an exact effective date, only that it becomes effective upon signature or a specified date.
• The law requires 'satisfactory proof' but does not list specific documents needed to prove service or discharge status.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VETERAN DESIGNATION ON DRIVER LICENSES.
This Act replaces the phrase "United States Armed Forces or of the National Guard" with "uniformed services of the United States," and defines "uniformed services of the United States" as meaning any of the 8 of the United States service branches and the National Guard. Usage of "Armed Forces" or "military" is often misunderstood to mean only the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard. Using "uniformed services of the United States" more accurately includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corp. This Act makes clear that veterans all 8 services branches are qualified to obtain veteran designation on their driver licenses.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Buckson & Rep. Hilovsky

Sens. Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Richardson, Wilson; Reps. Collins, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 76

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VETERAN DESIGNATION ON DRIVER LICENSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 2718, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and by redesignating accordingly:

§ 2718. Information on licenses.

(g) The Division of Motor Vehicles shall upon submission of satisfactory proof, designate on a driver license that the holder is a veteran of the

United States Armed Forces or of the National Guard.

uniformed services of the United States. As used in this section, “uniformed services of the United States” means any of the following service branches: United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, United States Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a reserve component of any of the service branches, or the National Guard.

(1) An applicant qualifies to have designation that the holder is a veteran added to their driver license if the applicant served in the

United States Armed Forces, including a reserve component of the National Guard,

uniformed services of the United States

and was discharged or released from service under conditions other than

dishonorable:

dishonorable.

SYNOPSIS

This Act replaces the phrase "United States Armed Forces or of the National Guard" with "uniformed services of the United States," and defines "uniformed services of the United States" as meaning any of the 8 of the United States service branches and the National Guard. Usage of "Armed Forces" or "military" is often misunderstood to mean only the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and United States Coast Guard. Using "uniformed services of the United States" more accurately includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corp. This Act makes clear that veterans all 8 services branches are qualified to obtain veteran designation on their driver licenses.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Author: Senator Buckson