ASSEMBLY, No. 2751

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 27, 1997

 

 

By Assemblyman GUSCIORA and Assemblywoman TURNER

 

 

An Act concerning registration plates for veterans and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. a. Upon proper application, the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may issue general veterans' license plates for a motor vehicle owned or leased and registered in the State. These plates shall be issued only upon proof satisfactory to the director, following consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, that the applicant is a veteran pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1987, c.444 (C.38A:3-1.2) and has been honorably discharged or has received a general discharge under honorable conditions from active service in any branch of the United States armed forces and meets the conditions specified in this subsection. The plates shall be designed by the director following consultation with the Adjutant General and with veterans' organizations. In addition to the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law, a general veterans' plate shall display the word "Veteran," and may contain an appropriate slogan or emblem or a designation of the conflict in which the veteran served. Issuance of license plates in accordance with this act shall be subject to the limitations of section 3 of P.L.1959, c.56 (C.39:3-33.5) and other applicable requirements of chapter 3 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, except as hereinafter specifically provided.

    b. Application for issuance of a general veterans' license plate shall be made to the director on forms and in a manner as may be prescribed by the director. In order to be deemed complete, an application shall be accompanied by a fee of $50, payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles, which shall be in addition to the fee otherwise prescribed by law for the registration of motor vehicles. The annual renewal fee for the registration of a motor vehicle for which a general veterans' license plate has been issued shall be $10, which shall be in addition to the fee otherwise prescribed by law for the renewal of the registration certificate.


    c. The surviving spouse of a person qualified to receive general veterans' plates under this act and who is eligible to operate a motor vehicle in this State under the provisions of R.S.39:3-10 may retain the special license plates obtained by the deceased spouse pursuant to this section for display on a motor vehicle registered to the surviving spouse under the provisions of R.S.39:3-4.

    d. Monies from the application and renewal fees collected by the Division of Motor Vehicles for general veterans' plates shall be deposited in the Veterans' Research and Scholarship Fund established in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs pursuant to subsection e. of this section.

    e. All fees collected pursuant to subsection d. of this section shall be placed in a special nonlapsing fund to be known as the "Veterans' Research and Scholarship Fund," which shall be administered by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. After reimbursing the Department of Motor Vehicles for the cost of production, issuance, renewal, publicity and computer programming changes, 40 percent of the moneys in the fund shall be used by the Adjutant General for the promotion and implementation of research projects related to the needs and interests of veterans and 60 percent shall be used for scholarships to the children of members of established veterans' organizations upon proper application by the organization and approval by the Adjutant General.

 

    2. The director may promulgate rules and regulations governing the issuance and use of these registration plates. The Adjutant General may promulgate rules and regulations governing the expenditure of funds in the Veterans' Research and Scholarship Fund.

 

    3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment but the Adjutant General and the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may take such anticipatory acts in advance of that date as may be necessary for the timely implementation of this act upon the effective date thereof.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill would enable all eligible veterans of military service to obtain special veterans' license plates for motor vehicles they own or lease. Many proud veterans residing in this State who do not belong to veterans' organizations or have not been awarded special medals for heroism are presently unable to obtain plates noting their service in the armed forces.

    Applicants for the plates would be required to pay an initial $50 application fee and an additional renewal fee of $10. These fees, after reimbursing Division of Motor Vehicle for its costs in issuing the special plates, would be placed in a Veterans' Research and Scholarship Fund, to be administered by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. Forty percent of the monies remaining would be used for veteran-related research projects, such as for Agent Orange and Desert Storm illnesses, and 60 percent would be used for scholarships for the children of members of veterans' organizations.

    The special license plates would be inscribed with the word "Veteran" and might also include a reference to the particular conflict in which the veteran served. Veterans are eligible if they have been honorably discharged or given general discharges under honorable conditions. They must qualify as veterans under the definition of veteran in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.444 (C.38A:3-1.2) which generally requires that they have served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States for at least 90 days.

 

 

                             

 

Provides for special license plates for certain discharged veterans and surviving spouses.