BLUE STAR FAMILY LICENSE PLATE
Senate Bill 821 (S-2) as reported from House committee
Sponsor: Sen. Phil Pavlov
House Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate Committee: Transportation
Complete to 12-19-18
SUMMARY:
Senate Bill 821 would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to allow a member of a Blue Star Family to apply to the Secretary of State for a “Blue Star Family” special registration plate. The plate would be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the Blue Star Families insignia and would have the words “Blue Star Family” inscribed beneath the registration number.
An application for a Blue Star Family special registration plate would be on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State and would have to be accompanied by any proof of the applicant’s having been a Blue Star Family member that the Secretary of State may require. The applicant would have to pay a $5 service fee and the applicable vehicle registration tax.
Blue Star Family member would mean a person who is currently serving, or who has an immediate family member serving, in the United States Armed Forces or in forces incorporated as part of the United States Armed Forces.
Immediate family member would mean a parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent standing in loco parentis, child, stepchild, adopted child, sibling, half-sibling, spouse, or grandparent.
The bill would take effect August 1, 2019.
MCL 257.803e
HOUSE COMMITTEE ACTION:
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure reported the Senate-passed version of the bill without amendment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The bill would create marginal costs for the Department of State (DOS) and have no fiscal impact on local units of government. DOS would incur minor indeterminate costs related to the production of a new special registration plate. The costs of producing a new plate are primarily due to computer programming. The bill’s effective date of August 1, 2019 would provide enough time for the Blue Star Family plate to be produced using the Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS), DOS’s new computer system. DOS reports that the cost of producing a new plate using CARS should be significantly lower than the costs were when using their legacy IT system. (Production costs under the old system could reach as high as $100,000.)
POSITIONS:
The American Legion Department of Michigan indicated support for the bill. (11-27-18)
The Michigan Military Order of the Purple Heart indicated support for the bill. (11-27-18)
The Office of the Secretary of State indicated a neutral position on the bill. (12-18-18)
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Cnossen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.