Laws, Acts, and Legislation

To amend sections 4503.43, 4503.431, 4503.432, and 4503.571 of the Revised Code to permit the surviving spouse of a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, or Purple Heart who was issued or was eligible to be issued the specified license plates to retain the license plates or obtain such license plates until the death or remarriage of the surviving spouse.

Sec. 4503.43. (A) Any person being awarded the congressional medal of honor may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of ~~his~~ the person's personal motor vehicle without the payment of any registration fee and service fee as required by sections 4503.04, 4503.10, and 4503.102 of the Revised Code, and without the payment of any applicable county or municipal motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code. The application for registration shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence in support of such award as the registrar and the director of public safety may require by rule. The application may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section and any applicable fee, and upon presentation of the required supporting evidence of the award of the congressional medal of honor, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, the license plates shall be inscribed with the words "CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR." The license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

If the application is combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plates and validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of seventy-five per cent of the applicable additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

(B) The surviving spouse of a deceased person who had been awarded the congressional medal of honor, if the surviving spouse has not remarried and if the deceased person received or was eligible to receive special license plates issued under division (A) of this section, may apply to the registrar for the registration of the spouse's personal motor vehicle without the payment of any fee or tax as provided by division (A) of this section. If the application is combined with a request for a special license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the surviving spouse shall be required to pay seventy-five per cent of the applicable additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. The application for registration shall be accompanied by documentary evidence of the deceased person's award of the congressional medal of honor and by any other evidence that the registrar requires by rule.

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

(C) No person who is not a recipient of the congressional medal of honor or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of the congressional medal of honor or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section. No person shall own or lease a motor vehicle bearing license plates under this section unless the person is eligible to be issued those license plates.

Sec. 4503.431. (A) Any person who has been awarded the silver star may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle the person owns or leases of a class approved by the registrar. The application shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence in support of the award as the registrar shall require by rule. The application may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section; presentation of satisfactory evidence documenting that the applicant is a recipient of the silver star; payment of the regular license fee as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any local motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code; and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, the license plates shall contain an illustration of the silver star and be inscribed with the words "combat veteran." The license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(B) The surviving spouse of a deceased person who had been awarded the silver star, if the surviving spouse has not remarried and if the deceased person received or was eligible to receive special license plates issued under division (A) of this section, may apply to the registrar for the registration of the spouse's personal motor vehicle as provided by division (A) of this section. The application for registration shall be accompanied by documentary evidence of the deceased person's award of the silver star, and by any other evidence that the registrar requires by rule.

Upon receipt of an application for registration under this division, payment of all applicable taxes and fees, and presentation of satisfactory evidence as required by this division and by the registrar, the registrar shall issue to the spouse the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of license plates as provided in division (A) of this section.

~~(C)~~(D) No person who is not a recipient of the silver star or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of the silver star or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section. No person shall permit a motor vehicle owned or leased by such person to bear license plates issued under this section unless the person is eligible to be issued such license plates.

Sec. 4503.432. (A) Any person who has been awarded the bronze star medal may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle the person owns or leases of a class approved by the registrar. The application shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence in support of the award as the registrar shall require by rule. The application may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section; presentation of satisfactory evidence documenting that the applicant is a recipient of the bronze star medal; payment of the regular license fee as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any local motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code; and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, the license plates shall contain an illustration of the bronze star medal and be inscribed with the words "combat veteran." The license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(B) The surviving spouse of a deceased person who had been awarded the bronze star medal, if the surviving spouse has not remarried and if the deceased person received or was eligible to receive special license plates issued under division (A) of this section, may apply to the registrar for the registration of the spouse's personal motor vehicle as provided by division (A) of this section. The application for registration shall be accompanied by documentary evidence of the deceased person's award of the bronze star medal, and by any other evidence that the registrar requires by rule.

Upon receipt of an application for registration under this division, payment of all applicable taxes and fees, and presentation of satisfactory evidence as required by this division and by the registrar, the registrar shall issue to the spouse the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of license plates as provided in division (A) of this section.

~~(C)~~(D) No person who is not a recipient of the bronze star medal or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a recipient of the bronze star medal or the surviving spouse of such a person who has not remarried for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section. No person shall permit a motor vehicle owned or leased by such person to bear license plates issued under this section unless the person is eligible to be issued such license plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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