As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
H. B. No. 606


Representative Stebelton 

Cosponsors: Representatives Beck, Blessing, Bubp, Burke, Combs, Derickson, Evans, Gardner, Garrison, Grossman, Huffman, Lehner, Letson, Lundy, O'Farrell, Phillips, Reece, Uecker, Yuko, Zehringer, Adams, J. 

A BILL
To amend section 4503.571 of the Revised Code to 1
permit the surviving spouse of a recipient of the 2
Purple Heart who was issued or was eligible to be 3
issued Purple Heart license plates to retain the 4
Purple Heart license plates or obtain such license 5
plates until the death or remarriage of the 6
surviving spouse.7


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

       Section 1.  That section 4503.571 of the Revised Code be 8
amended to read as follows:9

       Sec. 4503.571. (A) Any person who has been awarded the 10
purple heart may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the 11
registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, 12
recreational vehicle, motorcycle when the registrar determines 13
that producing a purple heart motorcycle license plate is 14
feasible, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar 15
that the person owns or leases. The application shall be 16
accompanied by such documentary evidence in support of the award 17
as the registrar may require. The application may be combined with 18
a request for a special reserved license plate under section 19
4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.20

       Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor 21
vehicle under this section and any required taxesapplicable fee, 22
and upon presentation of the required supporting evidence of the 23
award of the purple heart, the registrar shall issue to the 24
applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of 25
license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker 26
alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.27

       In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed 28
on the license plates, the license plates shall be inscribed with 29
the words "PURPLE HEART." The license plates shall bear county 30
identification stickers that identify the county of registration 31
by name or number.32

       The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued 33
without the payment of any registration fee and service fee 34
required by sections 4503.04, 4503.10, and 4503.102 of the Revised 35
Code, and without the payment of any local motor vehicle license 36
tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code. The applicant 37
shall comply with all other applicable laws relating to the 38
registration of motor vehicles. If the application is combined 39
with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 40
4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plates and 41
validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of seventy-five 42
per cent of the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 43
4503.42 of the Revised Code, as the case may be. 44

       No(B) The surviving spouse of a deceased person who had been 45
awarded the purple heart, if the surviving spouse has not 46
remarried and if the deceased person received or was eligible to 47
receive special license plates issued under division (A) of this 48
section, may apply to the registrar for the registration of the 49
spouse's personal motor vehicle without the payment of any fee or 50
tax as provided by division (A) of this section. If the 51
application is combined with a request for a special license plate 52
under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the 53
surviving spouse shall be required to pay seventy-five per cent of 54
the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of 55
the Revised Code, as the case may be. The application for 56
registration shall be accompanied by documentary evidence of the 57
deceased person's award of the purple heart and by any other 58
evidence that the registrar requires by rule.59

       Upon receipt of an application for registration under this 60
division and presentation of satisfactory evidence as required by 61
this division and by the registrar, the registrar shall issue to 62
the spouse the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of 63
license plates as provided in division (A) of this section.64

       (C) No person who is not a recipient of the purple heart or 65
the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried shall 66
willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of 67
a purple heart or the surviving spouse of such a person who has 68
not remarried for the purpose of obtaining license plates under 69
this section. No person shall own or lease a motor vehicle bearing 70
license plates under this section unless the person is eligible to 71
be issued those license plates.72

       (D) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty 73
of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.74

       Section 2.  That existing section 4503.571 of the Revised 75
Code is hereby repealed.76