As Passed by the Senate                       1            

123rd General Assembly                                             4            

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

      1999-2000                                                    6            


   SENATORS OELSLAGER-WACHTMANN-McLIN-LATTA-JOHNSON-HOTTINGER-     8            

  SCHAFRATH-CARNES-SPADA-PRENTISS-WATTS-HERINGTON-CUPP-GARDNER-    9            

                         DiDONATO-LATELL                           10           


_________________________________________________________________   12           

                          A   B I L L                                           

             To amend sections 4503.48, 4503.54, 4503.571, and     14           

                4503.59 and to enact section 4503.73 of the        15           

                Revised Code to eliminate the additional $10 fee   16           

                that a person pays to the Bureau of Motor          17           

                Vehicles when first obtaining or renewing Ohio     18           

                National Guard license plates, U.S. Armed Forces                

                Reserves license plates, U.S. Armed Forces         19           

                retiree or honorably discharged veteran license    20           

                plates, Purple Heart license plates, and Pearl     21           

                Harbor license plates; to allow a Purple Heart                  

                recipient to receive Purple Heart license plates   22           

                for more than one vehicle owned by the recipient;               

                to specify that certain special license plates     23           

                may be obtained for motor homes rather than for    24           

                all types of recreational vehicles; and to create               

                the "Leader in Flight" license plate.              25           




BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:        27           

      Section 1.  That sections 4503.48, 4503.54, 4503.571, and    29           

4503.59 be amended and section 4503.73 of the Revised Code be      30           

enacted to read as follows:                                        31           

      Sec. 4503.48.  Any person who is a member of the Ohio        40           

national guard or the reserves of the armed forces of the United   41           

States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the        42           

registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle,    43           

                                                          2      


                                                                 
motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar  44           

that the person owns or leases.  The application shall be          46           

accompanied by such written evidence that the person is a member                

of the Ohio national guard or of the reserves as the registrar     47           

requires by rule.                                                               

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   49           

vehicle under this section;, presentation of satisfactory          50           

evidence of membership in the Ohio national guard or the           52           

reserves;, AND payment of the regular license fees as prescribed   54           

under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, AND any local motor     55           

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      57           

Code, and an additional fee of ten dollars, the registrar shall    58           

issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration  59           

and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a         60           

validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the  61           

Revised Code.  In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily   62           

inscribed thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with      63           

identifying words or markings designed by the department of        64           

public safety.  THE LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR COUNTY               66           

IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF REGISTRATION   67           

BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                                              

      Sec. 4503.54.  Any person who is a retired or honorably      76           

discharged veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the        77           

United States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for     78           

the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor         79           

vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the   80           

registrar the person owns or leases.  The application shall be     81           

accompanied by such written evidence that the applicant is a       82           

retired or honorably discharged veteran of a branch of the armed   83           

forces of the United States as the registrar shall require by      84           

rule.                                                              85           

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   87           

vehicle under this section, presentation of satisfactory evidence  88           

documenting that the applicant is a retired or honorably           89           

                                                          3      


                                                                 
discharged veteran of a branch of the armed forces of the United   90           

States, AND payment of the regular license fees as prescribed      91           

under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, AND any local motor     92           

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      93           

Code, and an additional fee of ten dollars, the registrar shall    94           

issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration  95           

and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a         96           

validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the  97           

Revised Code.  In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily   98           

inscribed thereon, the license plates shall contain the            99           

appropriate inscription as follows:  "U.S. ARMED FORCES            100          

RETIRED--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)" or "U.S. ARMED FORCES                101          

VETERAN--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)."  Depending upon the format of the   102          

inscription, the registrar shall determine whether or not the      103          

inscription contains the dash.  THE LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR      106          

COUNTY IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF                      

REGISTRATION BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                    107          

      Sec. 4503.571.  Any person who has been awarded the purple   116          

heart may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the         117          

registration of one ANY passenger car, noncommercial motor         118          

vehicle, recreational vehicle MOTOR HOME, or other vehicle of a    120          

class approved by the registrar that the person owns or leases.    122          

The application shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence  123          

in support of the award as the registrar may require.  The         124          

application may be combined with a request for a special reserved               

license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised      126          

Code.                                                                           

      Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor   128          

vehicle under this section and the required taxes and fees, and    129          

presentation of the required supporting evidence of the award of   130          

the purple heart, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the   131          

appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of license        132          

plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone     133          

when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.             134          

                                                          4      


                                                                 
      In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed  136          

thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with the words      137          

"PURPLE HEART."  The license plates shall bear county              138          

identification stickers that identify the county of registration   139          

by name or number.                                                              

      The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued   141          

upon payment of the regular license fee required by section        142          

4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor vehicle    143          

license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code,        144          

payment of an additional fee of ten dollars, and compliance with   145          

all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor    146          

vehicles.  If the application is combined with a request for a     147          

special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42    148          

of the Revised Code, the license plates and validation sticker     149          

shall be issued upon payment of the fees and taxes referred to in  150          

this section and the additional fee prescribed under section       151          

4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.  The additional fee of     152          

ten dollars shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau    153          

of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing  155          

of license plates under this section and shall be transmitted by   156          

the registrar to the treasurer of state for deposit into the       157          

state treasury to the credit of the state bureau of motor                       

vehicles fund created by section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.      158          

      No person who is not a recipient of the purple heart shall   160          

willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of  161          

a purple heart for the purpose of obtaining license plates under   162          

this section.  No person shall own a motor vehicle bearing         163          

license plates under this section unless the person is eligible    164          

to be issued such license plates.                                  165          

      Sec. 4503.59.  The owner or lessee of any passenger car,     174          

noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle MOTOR HOME, or   175          

other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor        177          

vehicles who is certified by the Pearl Harbor survivors                         

association as having survived the attack on Pearl Harbor may      178          

                                                          5      


                                                                 
apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and     179          

issuance of Pearl Harbor license plates.  The application for      180          

Pearl Harbor license plates may be combined with a request for a   181          

special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42    182          

of the Revised Code.  Upon receipt of the completed application,   183          

presentation by the applicant of documentation issued by the       184          

Pearl Harbor survivors association certifying that the applicant   186          

survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, and compliance by the         187          

applicant with this section, the registrar shall issue to the      188          

applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of Pearl  189          

Harbor license plates with a validation sticker or a validation    191          

sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised     192          

Code.                                                                           

      In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed  194          

thereon, Pearl Harbor license plates shall be inscribed with the   195          

words "Pearl Harbor" and a symbol or logo designed by the Pearl    196          

Harbor survivors association and approved by the registrar.        197          

Pearl Harbor license plates shall bear county identification       198          

stickers that identify the county of registration by name or                    

number.                                                            199          

      Pearl Harbor license plates and validation stickers shall    201          

be issued upon payment of the regular license fee required by      202          

section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor    203          

vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised      204          

Code, payment of an additional fee of ten dollars, and compliance  206          

with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of                  

motor vehicles.  If the application for Pearl Harbor license       207          

plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license   208          

plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the    209          

license plates and validation sticker shall be issued upon         210          

payment of the fees and taxes contained in this section and the    211          

additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the  212          

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

purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for           214          

                                                          6      


                                                                 
additional services required in the issuing of Pearl Harbor        215          

license plates, and shall be transmitted by the registrar to the   216          

treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the      217          

credit of the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created by       218          

section 4501.25 of the Revised Code.                                            

      Sec. 4503.73.  (A)  THE OWNER OR LESSEE OF ANY PASSENGER     220          

CAR, NONCOMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE, MOTOR HOME, OR OTHER VEHICLE OF  221          

A CLASS APPROVED BY THE REGISTRAR OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY APPLY TO   223          

THE REGISTRAR FOR THE REGISTRATION OF THE VEHICLE AND ISSUANCE OF  224          

"THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES.  THE APPLICATION FOR "THE   225          

LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES MAY BE COMBINED WITH A REQUEST    226          

FOR A SPECIAL RESERVED LICENSE PLATE UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR      227          

4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.  UPON RECEIPT OF THE COMPLETED        228          

APPLICATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION, THE  229          

REGISTRAR SHALL ISSUE TO THE APPLICANT THE APPROPRIATE VEHICLE     230          

REGISTRATION AND A SET OF "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES    231          

WITH A VALIDATION STICKER OR A VALIDATION STICKER ALONE WHEN       233          

REQUIRED BY SECTION 4503.191 OF THE REVISED CODE.                               

      IN ADDITION TO THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS ORDINARILY INSCRIBED  235          

THEREON, "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES SHALL BE INSCRIBED  236          

WITH THE WORDS "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF A       237          

SPACE SHUTTLE IN A VERTICAL POSITION AND THE WRIGHT "B" AIRPLANE.  238          

"THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES SHALL BEAR COUNTY            239          

IDENTIFICATION STICKERS THAT IDENTIFY THE COUNTY OF REGISTRATION   240          

BY NAME OR NUMBER.                                                 241          

      (B)  "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES AND VALIDATION    243          

STICKER SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PAYMENT OF THE REGULAR LICENSE TAX    244          

AS PRESCRIBED UNDER SECTION 4503.04 OF THE REVISED CODE, A FEE OF  245          

TEN DOLLARS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPENSATING THE BUREAU OF MOTOR    246          

VEHICLES FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED IN THE ISSUING OF "THE   247          

LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES, ANY APPLICABLE MOTOR VEHICLE     248          

TAX LEVIED UNDER CHAPTER 4504. OF THE REVISED CODE, AND            249          

COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS RELATING TO THE          251          

REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES.  IF THE APPLICATION FOR "THE       252          

                                                          7      


                                                                 
LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE PLATES IS COMBINED WITH A REQUEST FOR A  253          

SPECIAL RESERVED LICENSE PLATE UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42    254          

OF THE REVISED CODE, THE LICENSE PLATE AND VALIDATION STICKER      255          

SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PAYMENT OF THE FEES AND TAXES REFERRED TO OR  256          

ESTABLISHED IN THIS DIVISION AND THE ADDITIONAL FEE PRESCRIBED     257          

UNDER SECTION 4503.40 OR 4503.42 OF THE REVISED CODE.              258          

      (C)  THE REGISTRAR SHALL DEPOSIT THE ADDITIONAL FEE OF TEN   260          

DOLLARS SPECIFIED IN DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION THAT THE         261          

APPLICANT FOR REGISTRATION VOLUNTARILY PAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF     262          

COMPENSATING THE BUREAU FOR THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED IN    264          

THE ISSUING OF THE APPLICANT'S "THE LEADER IN FLIGHT" LICENSE      265          

PLATES IN THE STATE BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES FUND CREATED IN       266          

SECTION 4501.25 OF THE REVISED CODE.                                            

      Section 2.  That existing sections 4503.48, 4503.54,         268          

4503.571, and 4503.59 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.     269