GOLD STAR FAMILY LICENSE PLATE S.B. 102: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 102 (as introduced 2-8-11)
Sponsor: Senator John Pappageorge
Committee: Transportation


Date Completed: 4-11-11

CONTENT The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to permit the spouse, parent, sibling, or child of a member of the armed services who died during combat to apply to the Secretary of State (SOS) for a Gold Star Family special registration plate.

The plate would have to be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by a gold star and would have to have the words "Gold Star Family" inscribed beneath the registration number.


The Code permits a person who was a prisoner of war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, or Purple Heart medal recipient to apply to the SOS for a special registration plate. (Please see BACKGROUND for a full list of additional special registration plates for veterans of other wars and conflicts.)


The application must be on a form prescribed by the SOS and must be accompanied by a $5 service fee and proof that the applicant was a prisoner of war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, or recipient of the Purple Heart. A person issued a special registration plate must be assessed the applicable registration fee.


The bill would extend those provisions to the spouse, parent, sibling, or child of a member of the armed services who died during combat. The application would have to be accompanied by proof of the applicant's relationship to the deceased.


MCL 257.803e

BACKGROUND
The Secretary of State currently offers vehicle registration plates for the military service members and veterans shown in Table 1.








Table 1

 Special Registration Plate Authorizing Section

Afghanistan Conflict Veteran 803o Air Force Veteran 803i Army Veteran 803i Coast Guard Veteran 803i Combat Wounded Veteran (Purple Heart) 803e Cuban Missile Crisis Veteran 803o Disabled Veteran 803f Dominican Republic Veteran 803o Ex-Prisoner of War 803e Grenada Conflict Veteran 803n Iraq Conflict Veteran 803o Korean War Veteran 803j Laos Conflict Veteran 803o Lebanon Conflict Veteran 803n Marine Corps Veteran 803i Medal of Honor Recipient 217d Military Reserve Member or Veteran 803i National Guard Member or Veteran 803i Navy Veteran 803i Panama Conflict Veteran 803n Pearl Harbor Survivor 803e Persian Gulf (Desert Storm) Veteran 803n Somalia Conflict Veteran 803o Vietnam War Veteran 803k World War I Veteran 803e World War II Veteran 803l


The Code allows a spouse to apply for a special registration plate in the case of ex-prisoners of war and veterans of the Korean War, Vietnam War, World War II, Persian Gulf War, and the conflicts in Granada, Lebanon, and Panama. (In the case of a spouse of a Persian Gulf War veteran, the veteran must have been called to active duty.) Special plates also are available to the spouse of a veteran of the Michigan National Guard, the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve, or any branch of the U.S. armed services who was called to active duty during a declared war or an armed conflict in which the United States was a participant.


Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb102/1112