BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AB 498
SENATOR ALAN LOWENTHAL, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: hayashi
VERSION: 6/1/10
Analysis by: Carrie Cornwell FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 15, 2010
SUBJECT:
Veterans' organizations license plates
DESCRIPTION:
This bill allows a former American prisoner of war (POW) to
obtain veterans' organizations license plates without paying the
fees typically associated with a veterans plate.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law requires that in order to register a vehicle in
California, the registered owner pay a registration fee of $34,
a $22 surcharge for additional personnel for the California
Highway Patrol, various locally-imposed fees, and a vehicle
license fee (VLF) equal to 1.15% of a vehicle's value based on
purchase price depreciated according to a statutory schedule.
In addition, any registered owner of a vehicle may apply to the
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for veterans license plates
for his or her vehicle. Veterans plates bear a distinctive
design that includes the word "veteran" along the bottom of the
plate and includes a decal on the left side of the plate for one
of over 100 sponsoring veterans' organizations, such as the
American Legion, 101st Airborne Division, or the National Guard.
In addition to the above fees, a vehicle owner must pay $30
annually for veterans plates. Revenues derived from this fee go
primarily to county veterans service organizations.
Existing law also provides for former American prisoner of war
license plates, which bear a replica of the POW medal and
include the letters "POW" followed by four numerical characters.
Only former American POWs may receive these plates upon
providing DMV with satisfactory proof of former POW status.
Existing law exempts vehicles with POW plates from all
AB 498 (HAYASHI) Page 2
registration fees and from VLF but limits this exemption to one
vehicle owned by the former POW. Also, the vehicle may not be
used for transportation for hire, compensation, or profit and
must be a passenger motor vehicle, motorcycle, or commercial
motor vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unladen weight. The
surviving spouse of a former American POW may retain these
plates under the same conditions as the former POW.
This bill allows a former American POW to acquire veterans
license plates, in lieu of POW plates, without the payment of
any registration fees, other surcharges, or VLF. In addition,
the surviving spouse of a former POW may retain these plates
without paying any fees.
COMMENTS:
Purpose . Currently former POWs are eligible for a special
license plates, are exempt from registration fees and VLF, and
receive their POW plates at no cost in recognition of their
status as former POWs. The author introduced this bill to allow
former American POWs the option to receive instead veterans
plates, while preserving their exemption from the fees
associated with those plates.
The author notes that former POWs have a limited selection of
license plates to choose from, all of which include the replica
of the former POW Medal followed by the letters "POW" and four
numbers. The author further asserts that while former POWs are
proud of their military service, not all are comfortable
advertising that they are a former POW. This bill simply allows
former POWs the option to order a veterans' organization license
plate under the same terms as they receive POW plates.
Anyone can order a veterans license plate to show their support
of military, the national guard or reserve service, or
California veterans, but they must pay a fee of $30 for a
sequentially numbered plate. This bill exempts former POWs from
that fee as well.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 72 - 1
Appr: 17 - 0
Trans: 14 - 0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
AB 498 (HAYASHI) Page 3
Wednesday,
June 9, 2010)
SUPPORT: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of
California (sponsor)
San Clemente Ladies Auxiliary 7142, Veterans of
Foreign Wars
14 individuals
OPPOSED: None received.