Am.
S.B. 25
127th General Assembly
(As Reported by H. Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs)
Sens. Carey, Gardner, Cafaro, Clancy, Goodman, Niehaus, Padgett, Boccieri, D. Miller, Faber, Schuler, Grendell, Schuring, Schaffer, Kearney, Amstutz, Austria, Cates, Harris, Morano, Mumper, Roberts, Spada, Stivers, Wilson, Sawyer, Mason, R. Miller, Fedor, Buehrer, Smith
Reps. Aslanides, Combs, Domenick, Fessler, Miller, Otterman, Reinhard, Sayre, Wachtmann
BILL SUMMARY
· Creates a "Gold Star Family" license plate, available to any member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while serving in any branch of the armed forces of the United States.
CONTENT AND OPERATION
The bill allows any member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States to apply to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the Registrar that the family member owns or leases and for issuance of "Gold Star Family" license plates for that motor vehicle. The bill defines "member of the immediate family" as all of the following: (1) a spouse, (2) a parent, stepparent, or other person who acted in loco parentis, (3) a sibling, whether of the whole or half-blood, or by adoption, (4) a child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild, and (5) a grandparent. (Sec. 4503.546(A) and (D).)
The request for "Gold Star Family" license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate provided in current law. Upon receipt of a complete application and compliance with the bill's requirements, the Registrar is required to issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of "Gold Star Family" license plates with a validation sticker or a validation sticker alone when required by current law. In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, "Gold Star Family" license plates must be inscribed with a gold star and the words "Gold Star Family." The license plates must bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number. (Sec. 4503.546(A).)
"Gold Star Family" license plates and validation stickers are issued upon payment of the regular license tax prescribed in current law, any applicable local motor vehicle tax, and any applicable additional special reserved license plate fee, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles (sec. 4503.546(B)). The Registrar must deposit all these fees into the state treasury to the credit of the existing State Bureau of Motor Vehicles Fund. (Sec. 4501.25, not in the bill.)
The bill prohibits any person who is not a member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States from willfully and falsely representing that the person is such a family member for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section, but does not establish a penalty for violation of the prohibition (sec. 4503.546(C)).
HISTORY
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ACTION |
DATE |
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Introduced |
02-20-07 |
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Reported, S. Highways & Transportation |
05-01-07 |
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Passed Senate (33-0) |
06-20-07 |
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Reported,
H. Infrastructure, Homeland |
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S0025-RH-127.doc/jc