As Reported by the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee   1            

123rd General Assembly                                             4            

   Regular Session                             Sub. S. B. No. 232  5            

      1999-2000                                                    6            


                        SENATOR OELSLAGER                          8            


_________________________________________________________________   10           

                          A   B I L L                                           

             To amend sections 4503.48, 4503.54, 4503.571, and     12           

                4503.59 and to enact section 4503.73 of the        13           

                Revised Code to eliminate the additional $10 fee   14           

                that a person pays to the Bureau of Motor          15           

                Vehicles when first obtaining or renewing Ohio     16           

                National Guard license plates, U.S. Armed Forces                

                Reserves license plates, U.S. Armed Forces         17           

                retiree or honorably discharged veteran license    18           

                plates, Purple Heart license plates, and Pearl     19           

                Harbor license plates; to allow a Purple Heart                  

                recipient to receive Purple Heart license plates   20           

                for more than one vehicle owned by the recipient;               

                to specify that certain special license plates     21           

                may be obtained for motor homes rather than for    22           

                all types of recreational vehicles; and to create               

                the "Leader in Flight" license plate.              23           




BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:        25           

      Section 1.  That sections 4503.48, 4503.54, 4503.571, and    27           

4503.59 be amended and section 4503.73 of the Revised Code be      28           

enacted to read as follows:                                        29           

      Sec. 4503.48.  Any person who is a member of the Ohio        38           

national guard or the reserves of the armed forces of the United   39           

States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the        40           

registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle,    41           

motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar  42           

that the person owns or leases.  The application shall be          44           

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accompanied by such written evidence that the person is a member                

of the Ohio national guard or of the reserves as the registrar     45           

requires by rule.                                                               

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   47           

vehicle under this section;, presentation of satisfactory          48           

evidence of membership in the Ohio national guard or the           50           

reserves;, AND payment of the regular license fees as prescribed   52           

under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, AND any local motor     53           

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      55           

Code, and an additional fee of ten dollars, the registrar shall    56           

issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration  57           

and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a         58           

validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the  59           

Revised Code.  In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily   60           

inscribed thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with      61           

identifying words or markings designed by the department of        62           

public safety.  THE LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR COUNTY               64           

IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF REGISTRATION   65           

BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                                              

      Sec. 4503.54.  Any person who is a retired or honorably      74           

discharged veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the        75           

United States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for     76           

the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor         77           

vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the   78           

registrar the person owns or leases.  The application shall be     79           

accompanied by such written evidence that the applicant is a       80           

retired or honorably discharged veteran of a branch of the armed   81           

forces of the United States as the registrar shall require by      82           

rule.                                                              83           

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   85           

vehicle under this section, presentation of satisfactory evidence  86           

documenting that the applicant is a retired or honorably           87           

discharged veteran of a branch of the armed forces of the United   88           

States, AND payment of the regular license fees as prescribed      89           

                                                          3      


                                                                 
under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, AND any local motor     90           

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      91           

Code, and an additional fee of ten dollars, the registrar shall    92           

issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration  93           

and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a         94           

validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the  95           

Revised Code.  In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily   96           

inscribed thereon, the license plates shall contain the            97           

appropriate inscription as follows:  "U.S. ARMED FORCES            98           

RETIRED--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)" or "U.S. ARMED FORCES                99           

VETERAN--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)."  Depending upon the format of the   100          

inscription, the registrar shall determine whether or not the      101          

inscription contains the dash.  THE LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR      104          

COUNTY IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF                      

REGISTRATION BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                    105          

      Sec. 4503.571.  Any person who has been awarded the purple   114          

heart may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the         115          

registration of one ANY passenger car, noncommercial motor         116          

vehicle, recreational vehicle MOTOR HOME, or other vehicle of a    118          

class approved by the registrar that the person owns or leases.    120          

The application shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence  121          

in support of the award as the registrar may require.  The         122          

application may be combined with a request for a special reserved               

license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised      124          

Code.                                                                           

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   126          

vehicle under this section and the required taxes and fees, and    127          

presentation of the required supporting evidence of the award of   128          

the purple heart, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the   129          

appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of license        130          

plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone     131          

when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.             132          

      In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed  134          

thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with the words      135          

                                                          4      


                                                                 
"PURPLE HEART."  The license plates shall bear county              136          

identification stickers that identify the county of registration   137          

by name or number.                                                              

      The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued   139          

upon payment of the regular license fee required by section        140          

4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor vehicle    141          

license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code,        142          

payment of an additional fee of ten dollars, and compliance with   143          

all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor    144          

vehicles.  If the application is combined with a request for a     145          

special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42    146          

of the Revised Code, the license plates and validation sticker     147          

shall be issued upon payment of the fees and taxes referred to in  148          

this section and the additional fee prescribed under section       149          

4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.  The additional fee of     150          

ten dollars shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau    151          

of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing  153          

of license plates under this section and shall be transmitted by   154          

the registrar to the treasurer of state for deposit into the       155          

state treasury to the credit of the state bureau of motor                       

vehicles fund created by section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.      156          

      No person who is not a recipient of the purple heart shall   158          

willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of  159          

a purple heart for the purpose of obtaining license plates under   160          

this section.  No person shall own a motor vehicle bearing         161          

license plates under this section unless the person is eligible    162          

to be issued such license plates.                                  163          

      Sec. 4503.59.  The owner or lessee of any passenger car,     172          

noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle MOTOR HOME, or   173          

other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor        175          

vehicles who is certified by the Pearl Harbor survivors                         

association as having survived the attack on Pearl Harbor may      176          

apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and     177          

issuance of Pearl Harbor license plates.  The application for      178          

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Pearl Harbor license plates may be combined with a request for a   179          

special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42    180          

of the Revised Code.  Upon receipt of the completed application,   181          

presentation by the applicant of documentation issued by the       182          

Pearl Harbor survivors association certifying that the applicant   184          

survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, and compliance by the         185          

applicant with this section, the registrar shall issue to the      186          

applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of Pearl  187          

Harbor license plates with a validation sticker or a validation    189          

sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised     190          

Code.                                                                           

      In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed  192          

thereon, Pearl Harbor license plates shall be inscribed with the   193          

words "Pearl Harbor" and a symbol or logo designed by the Pearl    194          

Harbor survivors association and approved by the registrar.        195          

Pearl Harbor license plates shall bear county identification       196          

stickers that identify the county of registration by name or                    

number.                                                            197          

      Pearl Harbor license plates and validation stickers shall    199          

be issued upon payment of the regular license fee required by      200          

section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor    201          

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      202          

Code, payment of an additional fee of ten dollars, and compliance  204          

with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of                  

motor vehicles.  If the application for Pearl Harbor license       205          

plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license   206          

plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the    207          

license plates and validation sticker shall be issued upon         208          

payment of the fees and taxes contained in this section and the    209          

additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the  210          

Revised Code.  The additional fee of ten dollars shall be for the               

purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for           212          

additional services required in the issuing of Pearl Harbor        213          

license plates, and shall be transmitted by the registrar to the   214          

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treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the      215          

credit of the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created by       216          

section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.                                            

      Sec. 4503.73.  (A)  THE OWNER OR LESSEE OF ANY PASSENGER     218          

CAR, NONCOMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE, RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, OR OTHER   219          

VEHICLE OF A CLASS APPROVED BY THE REGISTRAR OF MOTOR VEHICLES     220          

MAY APPLY TO THE REGISTRAR FOR THE REGISTRATION OF THE VEHICLE     221          

AND ISSUANCE OF "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES.  THE        222          

APPLICATION FOR "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES MAY BE       223          

COMBINED WITH A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL RESERVED LICENSE PLATE       224          

UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.  UPON        225          

RECEIPT OF THE COMPLETED APPLICATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH DIVISION  226          

(B) OF THIS SECTION, THE REGISTRAR SHALL ISSUE TO THE APPLICANT    227          

THE APPROPRIATE VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND A SET OF "THE LEADER IN   229          

FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES WITH A VALIDATION STICKER OR A VALIDATION   230          

STICKER ALONE WHEN REQUIRED BY SECTION 4503.191 OF THE REVISED     231          

CODE.                                                                           

      IN ADDITION TO THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS ORDINARILY INSCRIBED  233          

THEREON, "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES SHALL BE INSCRIBED  234          

WITH THE WORDS "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF A       235          

SPACE SHUTTLE IN A VERTICAL POSITION AND THE WRIGHT "B" AIRPLANE.  236          

"THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR COUNTY            237          

IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF REGISTRATION   238          

BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                                 239          

      (B)  "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES AND VALIDATION    241          

STICKER SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PAYMENT OF THE REGULAR LICENSE TAX    242          

AS PRESCRIBED UNDER SECTION 4503.04 OF THE REVISED CODE, A FEE OF  243          

TEN DOLLARS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPENSATING THE BUREAU OF MOTOR    244          

VEHICLES FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED IN THE ISSUING OF "THE   245          

LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES, ANY APPLICABLE MOTOR VEHICLE     246          

TAX LEVIED UNDER CHAPTER 4504. OF THE REVISED CODE, AND            247          

COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS RELATING TO THE          249          

REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES.  IF THE APPLICATION FOR "THE       250          

LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES IS COMBINED WITH A REQUEST FOR A  251          

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SPECIAL RESERVED LICENSE PLATE UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42    252          

OF THE REVISED CODE, THE LICENSE PLATE AND VALIDATION STICKER      253          

SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PAYMENT OF THE FEES AND TAXES REFERRED TO OR  254          

ESTABLISHED IN THIS DIVISION AND THE ADDITIONAL FEE PRESCRIBED     255          

UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.              256          

      (C)  THE REGISTRAR SHALL DEPOSIT THE ADDITIONAL FEE OF TEN   258          

DOLLARS SPECIFIED IN DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION THAT THE         259          

APPLICANT FOR REGISTRATION VOLUNTARILY PAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF     260          

COMPENSATING THE BUREAU FOR THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED IN    262          

THE ISSUING OF THE APPLICANT'S "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE      263          

PLATES IN THE STATE BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES FUND CREATED IN       264          

SECTION 4501.25 OF THE REVISED CODE.                                            

      Section 2.  That existing sections 4503.48, 4503.54,         266          

4503.571, and 4503.59 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.     267