WOMEN VETERAN REGISTRATION PLATE S.B. 268 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF SUBSTITUTE BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 268 (Substitute S-1)
Sponsor: Senator Vincent Gregory
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Provide for the availability of "woman veteran" special registration plates.
-- Require a plate application to include proof that the applicant, or his or her spouse, was a veteran, as required by the Secretary of State (SOS).
-- Require the application for the special registration plate, and any renewal application, to be accompanied by a $5 service fee.
-- Specify that the use of the special registration plate on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the plate was issued, or by a person who did not qualify under the bill, would be a misdemeanor.
Specifically, the bill would allow a veteran or his or her spouse to apply to the SOS for a special registration plate inscribed with special identification numbers and the words "woman veteran" beneath the registration number.
Application for a special registration plate would have to be on a form prescribed by the SOS, and would have to be accompanied by any proof that the applicant or the applicant's spouse was a veteran that the SOS required. The application also would have to be accompanied by payment of a $5 service fee.
Upon proper application and payment of the $5 fee, the SOS would have to issue one or more special registration plates for each applicant for use on a passenger vehicle. A person who was disabled who applied for the special registration plate and who paid the service fee would have to be issued a tab for people with disabilities as provided in the Code for his or her special registration plate. The SOS would have to require the same proof that the applicant was a disabled person as required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under the Code. A person issued one or more special registration plates would have to be assessed the applicable registration tax found in the Code.
The special registration plate would expire on the birthday of the vehicle owner. When the SOS issued new plates, application for renewal of the special registration plate would have to be accompanied by a $5 service fee. The applicant would not be required to furnish the proof described above.
The bill would take effect on August 1, 2019.
Proposed MCL 257.803s Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of State. The Department has indicated that the bill would create costs associated with the manufacture of the proposed registration plate, development and printing of new application forms, and programming costs to include the new plate in the Secretary of State's system. The Department's annual appropriations should be able to absorb these costs; however, any costs beyond those that could be absorbed would require additional appropriations.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.