HOUSE BILL No. 5342


     February 10, 2000, Introduced by Reps. Woronchak, Richardville, Spade, Shackleton, Kowall, Hager, Gilbert, DeRossett,
Faunce, Van Woerkom, Sanborn, Bisbee, Koetje, DeHart, Toy, Julian and Howell and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs.


        A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled

   "Michigan vehicle code,"

   by amending section 803e (MCL 257.803e), as amended by 1998 PA

   68.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1
           Sec. 803e.  (1) A person who has been a prisoner of war OR A

 2
      PERSON WHOSE SPOUSE HAS BEEN A PRISONER OF WAR may make applica-

 3
      tion to the secretary of state for a special registration plate

 4
      which shall be inscribed with special identification numbers pre-

 5
      ceded by the letters "EX-POW" and shall have the words

 6
      "ex-prisoner of war" inscribed beneath the registration number.

 7
           (2) A person who was a member of the armed services during

 8
      World War I may make application to the secretary of state for a

 9
      special registration plate, which shall be inscribed with special

10
      identification numbers preceded by the letters "WWI" and shall


   05089'99                                                 TLG
                                              2

 1
      have the words "World War I veteran" inscribed beneath the

 2
      registration number.

 3
           (3) A person who was a member of the armed services during

 4
      1941, stationed at a United States military or naval establish-

 5
      ment at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian islands, and who survived

 6
      the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 may make

 7
      application to the secretary of state for a special registration

 8
      plate, which shall be inscribed with special identification num-

 9
      bers and shall have the words "Pearl Harbor survivor" inscribed

10
      beneath the registration number.

11
           (4) A person who is a recipient of the purple heart medal

12
      may make application to the secretary of state for a special reg-

13
      istration plate which shall be inscribed with special identifica-

14
      tion numbers and shall have the words "combat wounded veteran"

15
      inscribed beneath the registration number.  In addition, the spe-

16
      cial registration plate described under this subsection shall be

17
      inscribed with a vignette of the official purple heart medal.

18
           (5) Application for a special registration plate shall be on

19
      a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall be accom-

20
      panied by any proof of the applicant having been a prisoner of

21
      war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, or recipient of

22
      the purple heart medal  which  THAT the secretary of state may

23
      require.  The application for a special registration plate shall

24
      also be accompanied with payment of a $5.00 service fee.

25
           (6) Upon proper application and payment of the $5.00 service

26
      fee, the secretary of state shall issue 1 or more special

27
      registration plates for each applicant for use on a passenger



   05089'99
                                   3

 1
      vehicle.  A person who is disabled who makes application for a

 2
      special registration plate under this section and who makes pay-

 3
      ment of the $5.00 service fee shall be issued a tab for persons

 4
      with disabilities as provided in section 803f for his or her spe-

 5
      cial registration plate.  The secretary of state shall require

 6
      the same proof that the applicant is a disabled person as is

 7
      required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under

 8
      section 675.  A person is entitled to 1 special registration

 9
      plate issued under subsection (1)  which  THAT is exempt from

10
      payment of the tax provided in section 801.  A person who is

11
      issued an additional special registration plate under

12
      subsection (1) shall be assessed the applicable tax provided for

13
      in section 801.  A person issued 1 or more special registration

14
      plates under subsection (2), (3), or (4) shall be assessed the

15
      applicable tax provided in section 801.

16
           (7) The use of a special registration plate on a vehicle

17
      other than the vehicle for which the plate is issued, or by a

18
      person who does not qualify under this section, is a

19
      misdemeanor.

20
           (8) The special registration plate issued under this section

21
      expires on the birthday of the vehicle owner in a year in which

22
      new plates are issued by the secretary of state.  Application for

23
      renewal of the special registration plate shall be accompanied by

24
      a $5.00 service fee.  The applicant is not required to furnish

25
      the proof provided in subsection (5).







   05089'99          Final page.                            TLG