HOUSE BILL NO. 5245

November 13, 2019, Introduced by Reps. Tyrone Carter, Bolden, Manoogian, Garza, Liberati, Shannon, Tate, Brenda Carter, Hammoud, Coleman, Kennedy, Robinson, Haadsma, Peterson, Kuppa, Hope, Neeley, Chirkun, Mueller, Schroeder, Sowerby, Yancey, Sabo, Whitsett, Cambensy, Lasinski, Cynthia Johnson, Hood, Gay-Dagnogo, Witwer, Garrett and Jones and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

"Michigan vehicle code,"

by amending sections 217d, 803e, and 803f (MCL 257.217d, 257.803e, and 257.803f), section 217d as amended by 2006 PA 562, section 803e as amended by 2011 PA 46, and section 803f as amended by 2018 PA 681.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 217d. (1) The secretary of state shall design and may issue a special congressional medal of honor registration plate for residents of this state awarded the congressional medal of honor.

(2) A special congressional medal of honor registration plate shall be is issued only for 1 vehicle intended for personal use by the applicant.

(3) A person who is a recipient of the congressional medal of honor may apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate under this section on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, which shall must be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a congressional medal of honor recipient that the secretary of state may require. The secretary of state shall waive the $5.00 service fee requirement under section 804.

(4) A person who qualifies to be issued a special registration plate under this section is entitled to only 1 special registration plate issued under subsection (1) that is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801.

(5) A person with disabilities who applies for a special registration plate under this section shall must be issued a tab for persons with disabilities as provided in section 803f for his or her special registration plate. The secretary of state shall require the same proof that the applicant is disabled as is required for issuance of issuing a permanent windshield placard under section 675.

(6) A special registration plate issued under subsection (1) expires on the birthday of the vehicle owner in a year in which new plates are issued by the secretary of state.

(7) The secretary of state shall deliver or cause to be delivered 1 or more special registration plates issued under this section to the home address of the applicant at no additional cost to the applicant.

(8) In lieu of a special registration plate, the secretary of state shall issue upon request a standard registration plate to a person who qualifies to be issued a special registration plate under this section. A standard registration plate issued under this subsection is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801, and the secretary of state shall not charge a service fee for issuing the plate.

Sec. 803e. (1) A person who has been a prisoner of war or a person whose spouse has been a prisoner of war may make application apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the letters "EX-POW" and shall have the words "ex-prisoner of war" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(2) A person who was a member of the armed services United States Armed Forces during World War I may make application apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate , that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the letters "WWI" and shall have the words "World War I veteran" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(3) A person who was a member of the armed services United States Armed Forces during 1941, stationed at a United States military or naval establishment at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian islands, and who survived the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 may make application apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate , that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers and shall have the words "Pearl Harbor survivor" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(4) A person who is a recipient of the purple heart medal Purple Heart Medal may make application apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers and shall have the words "combat wounded veteran" inscribed beneath the registration number. In addition, the special registration plate described under in this subsection shall must be inscribed with a vignette of the official purple heart medal.Purple Heart Medal.

(5) Application for a special registration plate shall must be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall must be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a prisoner of war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, or recipient of the purple heart medal Purple Heart Medal that the secretary of state may require. Application for a "Gold Star Family" special registration plate described in subsection (9) shall must be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall must be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a gold star family member that the secretary of state may require. The application for a special registration plate shall must also be accompanied with payment of a $5.00 service fee.

(6) Upon proper application and payment of the $5.00 service fee, the secretary of state shall issue 1 or more special registration plates for each applicant for use on a passenger vehicle. A person who is disabled who makes application applies for a special registration plate under this section and who makes payment of pays the $5.00 service fee shall must be issued a tab for persons with disabilities as provided in section 803f for his or her special registration plate. The secretary of state shall require the same proof that the applicant is a disabled person as is required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under section 675. One person in any household is entitled to 1 special registration plate issued under subsection (1) that is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801. The person who is issued an additional special registration plate under subsection (1) shall must be assessed the applicable tax provided for in section 801. A person issued 1 or more special registration plates under subsection (2), (3), (4), or (9) shall must be assessed the applicable tax provided in section 801.

(7) The use of a special registration plate on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the plate is issued, or by a person who does not qualify under this section, is a misdemeanor.

(8) The special registration plate issued under this section expires on the birthday of the vehicle owner in a year in which new plates are issued by the secretary of state. Application for renewal of the special registration plate shall must be accompanied by a $5.00 service fee. The applicant is not required to furnish the proof provided in subsection (5).

(9) A gold star family member may make application apply to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by a gold star and shall have the words "Gold Star Family" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(10) In lieu of a special registration plate, the secretary of state shall issue upon request a standard registration plate to a person who qualifies to be issued a special registration plate under subsection (1). A standard registration plate issued under this subsection is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801.

(11) (10) As used in this section, "gold star family member" means a person who has had an immediate family member die while serving in the United States armed forces Armed Forces or in forces incorporated as part of the United States armed forces Armed Forces if the immediate family member meets any of the eligibility criteria specified in 10 USC 1126(a)(1) to (3) for a gold star lapel button.

Sec. 803f. (1) A person who is a totally disabled veteran with an honorable discharge from the armed services United States Armed Forces may make an application apply to the secretary of state if he or she owns a private passenger motor vehicle, and the secretary of state may issue a special registration plate inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the letters "DV" and the words "disabled veteran" inscribed beneath the registration number. For the purposes of As used in this section, "private passenger motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is personally owned by the disabled veteran and is used for the primary purpose of transporting the disabled veteran and family members of the disabled veteran, but does not include a motor home.

(2) Application for the special registration plate must be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and must be accompanied by a service fee of $5.00 and proof that the applicant was honorably discharged from the armed services United States Armed Forces and either 1 of the following:

(a) That the applicant has been determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected total or permanent total disability rating for compensation.

(b) That the applicant has been determined to have a service-connected total or permanent total disability rating and is receiving disability retirement pay from a branch of the uniformed armed services.

(3) A special registration issued under this section is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801.

(4) The special registration plate expires on the birthday of the disabled veteran in a year in which new plates are issued by the secretary of state. Application for renewal of the special registration plate must be accompanied by a $5.00 service fee. The applicant shall is not be required to furnish the proof provided in subsection (2).

(5) The surviving spouse of a person who is a totally disabled veteran with an honorable discharge from the armed services United States Armed Forces may use a special registration plate issued under this section after the death of the totally disabled veteran and may renew a special registration plate issued under this section after the death of the totally disabled veteran in the same manner as provided under this section for a totally disabled veteran. If applicable, a surviving spouse shall apply for registration of the vehicle upon which he or she wishes to place the disabled veteran plate before using or renewing the plate as described in this section.

(6) The secretary of state may issue to a disabled person who has been issued a special registration plate under this section a tab for persons with disabilities. The tab for persons with disabilities must be an adhesive tab displaying the international wheelchair symbol or a reasonable facsimile of that symbol. The tab for persons with disabilities may be attached only to the special registration plate issued to the disabled person under this section.

(7) An application for a tab for persons with disabilities shall must be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall require the same proof that the applicant is a disabled person as is required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under section 675. If the surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran is a disabled person, he or she may apply to the secretary of state for a tab for persons with disabilities in the same manner as provided for a totally disabled veteran under this subsection.

(8) The tab for persons with disabilities must be issued free of charge.

(9) When a disabled person who has been issued a tab for persons with disabilities renews his or her special registration plate under this section, the secretary of state shall issue a new tab for persons with disabilities to the disabled person, free of charge. The disabled person shall not be required to again furnish the proof required under subsection (7).

(10) The use of the special registration plate or a tab for persons with disabilities on a motor vehicle other than the motor vehicle for which the special registration plate is issued, or by a person who does not qualify under this section, is a misdemeanor.

(11) In lieu of a special registration plate, the secretary of state shall issue upon request a standard registration plate to a person who qualifies to be issued a special registration plate under this section. A standard registration plate issued under this subsection is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.