Relating to distinguished service medal special registration plates

This bill authorizes the department of transportation (DOT) to issue special registration plates bearing a distinguished service medal processed emblem designed by the DOT in consultation with the adjutant general. A person who was awarded a distinguished service medal by the United States government may make a written application to the DOT and present satisfactory proof of the award to order the plates. Under current law, the fee for the issuance of special registration plates with a processed emblem is $25 which is in addition to the regular annual registration fee. The bill provides that a person who is approved for the distinguished service medal special registration plates must be issued one set of plates at no charge. The bill requires the fees collected by the DOT for the distinguished service medal plates to be paid monthly to the treasurer of state and deposited in the road use tax fund. The treasurer of state must credit monthly from the statutory allocations fund to the veterans license fee fund the amount of special fees for distinguished service medal plates collected in the previous month. The bill authorizes the surviving spouse of a person who was issued distinguished service medal special plates to continue to use or apply for and use the special plates subject to registration of the special plates in the surviving spouse’s name and upon payment of the annual $5 special plate fee and the regular annual registration fee for the vehicle. However, if the surviving spouse remarries, the surviving spouse must return the special plates to the DOT and the DOT must issue regular registration plates to the surviving spouse.