As Introduced

128th General Assembly Regular Session 2009-2010

H. B. No. 535

Representative DeBose 

Cosponsors: Representatives Pillich, Pryor, Derickson, Domenick, Fende, Chandler, Letson 

---

A BILL

To enact section 4503.549 of the Revised Code to

1

create "Military Sacrifice" license plates.

2

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

Section 1. That section 4503.549 of the Revised Code be	3
enacted to read as follows:	4

Sec. 4503.549. (A) Any member of the immediate family of a	5
person who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably as a	6
member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States may	7
apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of	8
any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, motor home, or	9
other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the family	10
member owns or leases and for issuance of "military sacrifice"	11
license plates for that motor vehicle. The application for	12
"military sacrifice" license plates may be combined with a request	13
for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or	14
4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed	15
application and compliance with division (B) of this section, the	16
registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle	17
registration, a set of "military sacrifice" license plates with a	18
validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by	19
section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.	20

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed	21
on the license plates, "military sacrifice" license plates shall	22
be inscribed with a distinctive emblem and the words "military	23
sacrifice." "Military sacrifice" license plates shall bear county	24
identification stickers that identify the county of registration	25
by name or number.	26

(B) "Military sacrifice" license plates and a validation	27
sticker or, when applicable, a validation sticker alone shall be	28
issued upon submission by the applicant of an application for	29
registration of a motor vehicle under this section, payment of the	30
regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the	31
Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle tax levied under	32
Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and any applicable additional	33
fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code,	34
and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the	35
registration of motor vehicles.	36

(C) No person who is not a member of the immediate family of	37
a person who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably as	38
a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States	39
shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is such a	40
family member for the purpose of obtaining license plates under	41
this section.	42

(D) As used in this section, "member of the immediate family"	43
of a person who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably	44
as a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States	45
means all of the following:	46

(1) A spouse;

47

(2) A parent, stepparent, or other person who acted in loco	48
parentis;	49

(3) A sibling, whether of the whole or half-blood, or by	50
adoption;	51

(4) A child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild;

52

(5) A grandparent.

53