BILL NUMBER: AB 1550 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 21, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 12, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
JANUARY 25, 2012
An act to amend Section 5068 of, and to add Section 5068.1 to, the
Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1550, as amended, Bonilla. Vehicles: veterans' organizations
license plates: fees.
Under existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues
environmental and other specialized license plates, including
veterans' organizations license plates. Veterans' organizations
license plates are required to have a distinctive design or decal.
The Department of Veterans Affairs may modify the plate design or
decals, but is prohibited from issuing those plates or decals, as
modified, until all existing plates or decals have been
issued.
This bill would clarify that this special interest license plate
program shall permit veterans to apply for plates that indicate their
service and nonveterans to apply for plates that honor veterans. The
bill would require the department to issue decals for plates issued
under this program that indicate service, or honor veterans who
served, in a particular war or armed conflict. The bill would require
the department to make available to an applicant, upon request, in
lieu of this decal, a "yellow ribbons/support our troops" decal.
These special interest license plates are subject to fees for
issuance, renewal, or personalization that are additional to those
required for nonspecialized license plates. Existing law requires
that the revenue from those additional fees, less the DMV's costs, be
deposited in the Veterans Service Office Fund.
Existing law requires money in the Veterans Service Office Fund to
be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the
Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation and disbursement to
counties for the operation of county veterans service offices.
This bill would increase the amount of those additional fees
and would require the DMV, by July 1, 2013, to add a
checkbox to its registration forms for an original or renewal of
vehicle registration to allow individuals to donate funds to the
Veterans Service Office Fund .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 5068 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
5068. (a) (1) (A) A veterans' organization may apply either
individually or with other veterans' organizations to meet the
application threshold set forth in Section 5060 for special interest
plates. An organization that meets the minimum application
requirement by applying with other organizations under this
subdivision shall be issued a regular license plate bearing a
distinctive design or decal approved under subdivision (a) of Section
5060.
(B) The Department of Veterans Affairs may modify the distinctive
design or decal described in subparagraph (A), consistent with the
design criteria imposed by Section 5060, to honor all veterans, or
veterans who served in a particular war or armed conflict as
described in subdivision (b) of Section 5068.1. Special interest
plates issued under this section and bearing the modified design or
decal shall be issued only after all existing plates or
decals have been issued.
(2) Any person described in Section 5101
who is the registered owner or lessee of a passenger vehicle,
commercial motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer
registered or certificated with the department, or any person who
applies for an original registration or renewal of registration of
that vehicle may apply under this section for a special
interest license plate with a decal that honors all veterans
, or veterans who served in a particular war or armed
conflict.
(3) Any veteran may apply under this section for a special
interest license plate with a decal that indicates his or her service
in a particular war or armed conflict.
(4) Special interest license plates issued under this section may
be issued in a combination of numbers or letters, or both, requested
by the owner or lessee of the vehicle, to be displayed in addition to
the design or decal authorized under paragraph (1), subject to
Section 5105.
(b) In addition to the regular fees for an original registration,
a renewal of registration, or a transfer of registration, the
following fees shall be paid by individuals applying for a special
interest license plate or a decal issued under this section:
(1) Fifty dollars ($50) for the initial issuance of the plates and
decals. The plates shall be permanent and shall not be required to
be replaced.
(2) Forty dollars ($40) for each renewal of registration that
includes the continued display of the plates or decals.
(3) Fifteen dollars ($15) for transfer of the plates to another
vehicle.
(4) Thirty-five dollars ($35) for replacement plates, if they
become damaged or unserviceable.
(5) Ten dollars ($10) for replacement decals, if they become
damaged or unserviceable.
(6) Ninety-eight dollars ($98) for the personalization of the
plates, as authorized under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a).
(c) The department shall maintain on its Internet Web site, a link
to order online the special interest license plates issued pursuant
to this section.
SEC. 2. Section 5068.1 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
5068.1. By July 1, 2013, the department shall do all
both of the following:
(a) Add a checkbox to its registration forms for an original or
renewal of vehicle registration to allow individuals to donate funds
to the Veterans Service Office Fund created by Section 972.2 of the
Military and Veterans Code.
(b)
(a) Issue a distinctive decal pursuant to subparagraph
(B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5068 to an
applicant for an original or renewal of vehicle registration for
veteran plates or plates honoring veterans to allow that applicant
the option of recognizing his or her veteran status in, or honoring
veterans of, a particular war or armed conflict, including, but not
limited to, those who served in the active military, naval, or air
service and performed any portion of their service during any of the
periods described in Section 980 of the Military and Veterans Code,
including active duty in a campaign or expedition for service in
which a medal was authorized by the government of the United States.
(c)
( b) The department shall make available to
an applicant, upon request, a "yellow ribbon/support our troops"
decal in lieu of the distinctive decal described in subdivision
(b) (a) .