Decorated combat veterans-license plates.

2015
STATE OF WYOMING
15LSO-0547
Numbered
2.1

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0219

Decorated combat veterans-license plates.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Moniz, Brown, Cannady and Hunt

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; authorizing specialty license plates for decorated combat veterans; granting rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 31
‑
2
‑
230 is created to read:

31
‑
2
‑
230
.

Special plates;
decorated
combat veterans.

(a)

A
decorated combat veteran
may apply to the
county treasurer
for
a
decorated combat veteran
license plate

to be placed on
any motor vehicle that is not a commercial vehicle or multipurpose vehicle owned or leased by
the veteran
upon registration of the vehicle.
To
qualify for the
decorated
combat
veteran
license plate
,
the applicant shall
provide document proof of having
received the United States medal of honor, distinguished service cross,
Navy
cross,
Air Force cross,
silver star, distinguished flying cross or the bronze star for
combat
duty in the armed service of the United States.
A separate
decorated
combat
veteran
license plate shall be available for each of these types of service
related
honors and an applicant shall specif
y the type of plate for which the applicant
is applying.

Application shall be made at least thirty (30) days before registration of the vehicle expires.
Once a
n applicant
has qualified for and received a decorated combat veteran license plate, the applicant
shall not be required to prove
continued
eligibility
in subsequent years
.

(b)

A
pplication for
a decorated
combat
veteran license plate

shall be annually made to the county treasurer as provided by this article. Application forms shall be available at all county treasurer's offices. The registra
tion fees prescribed by W.S. 31
‑
3
‑
101 sh
all accompany each application and
no additional fee shall be charged for the license plates provided by this section.

(c)

The surviving spouse of a deceased
veteran
who was issued a license plate under this sec
tion shall qualify to receive and continue displaying the deceased person's decorated combat veteran plate upon proper
registration and
payment of required fees.

(d
)

License plates issued under this section shall be displayed only on the vehicle for which they are issued.

(e
)

Except as provided in this section, application for, issuance and renewal of
decorated combat veteran
license plates shall be subject to the same requirements as provided in this article.

(f
)

Decorated combat veteran license plates shall be the same color as regul
ar motor vehicle license plates
but shall bear a distinctive symbol and letters identifying the type of hon
or received by the registrant. The department shall prescribe the design of the decorated combat veteran license plate in consultation with the Wyoming veteran's commission. To the extent practical, the design shall include a
graphical
representation of the medal received by
the veteran registrant and the spelled name of the medal. The department may omit
Arabic
numerals designating the county.
Decorated combat veteran license plates
shall be subject to redesign on the same schedule as all license plates beginning with the year 2017 reissuance.

(g
)

The department may prepare any special forms and issue rules and regulations necessary to carry out this section.

(h
)

The department shall include within its biennial budget
request submitted under W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
1013 a report identifying the actions taken and monies expended pursuant to this section for each of the immediately preceding two (2) fiscal years.

Section
2
.

This
act is effective July 1,
2015
.

(END)

1
HB0219