The Florida Senate

320.089  Members of National Guard and active United States Armed Forces reservists; former prisoners of war; survivors of Pearl Harbor; Purple Heart medal recipients; Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans; special license plates; fee.--

(1)(a)  Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use or recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use, who is a resident of the state and an active or retired member of the Florida National Guard, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, or an active or retired member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces Reserve shall, upon application to the department, accompanied by proof of active membership or retired status in the Florida National Guard, proof of membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association or proof of active military duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, proof of being a Purple Heart medal recipient, or proof of active or retired membership in any branch of the Armed Forces Reserve, and upon payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06, upon which, in lieu of the serial numbers prescribed by s. 320.06, shall be stamped the words "National Guard," "Pearl Harbor Survivor," "Combat-wounded veteran," or "U.S. Reserve," as appropriate, followed by the serial number of the license plate. Additionally, the Purple Heart plate may have the words "Purple Heart" stamped on the plate and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal appearing on the plate.

(b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003 and annually thereafter, the first $100,000 in general revenue generated from the sale of license plates issued under this section shall be deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, as described in s. 296.38(2), to be used for the purposes established by law for that trust fund. Any additional general revenue generated from the sale of such plates, up to $100,000, shall be deposited into the State Homes for Veterans Trust Fund and used solely to construct, operate, and maintain domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans, subject to the requirements of chapter 216.

(c)  Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, an applicant for a Pearl Harbor Survivor license plate or a Purple Heart license plate who also qualifies for a disabled veteran's license plate under s. 320.084 shall be issued the appropriate special license plate without payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08

(2)  Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use, who is a resident of the state and who is a former prisoner of war, or their unremarried surviving spouse, shall, upon application therefor to the department, be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06, on which license plate are stamped the words "Ex-POW" followed by the serial number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant meets the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b).

(a)  A citizen of the United States who served as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the armed forces of a nation allied with the United States who was held as a prisoner of war at such time as the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or their unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate provided for in this subsection without payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08

(b)  A person who was serving as a civilian with the consent of the United States Government, or a person who was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who was not a United States citizen and was held as a prisoner of war when the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or their unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate provided for in this subsection upon payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08

(3)  Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use, who is a resident of this state and who is the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple Heart medal shall, upon application therefor to the department, with the payment of the required fees, be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06, on which license plate are stamped the words "Purple Heart" and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal followed by the serial number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant is the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple Heart medal.

(4)  The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d) which automobile, truck, or recreational vehicle is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of the state and a current or former member of the United States military who was deployed and served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom or in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom shall, upon application to the department, accompanied by proof of active membership or former active duty status during one of these operations, and upon payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 upon which, in lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06, shall be stamped the words "Operation Iraqi Freedom" or "Operation Enduring Freedom," as appropriate, followed by the registration license number of the plate.

History.--ss. 1-3, ch. 65-132; s. 6, ch. 65-190; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 74-52; s. 5, ch. 77-68; s. 18, ch. 77-357; s. 5, ch. 82-97; s. 13, ch. 83-218; s. 35, ch. 83-318; s. 3, ch. 84-108; s. 1, ch. 85-66; s. 1, ch. 92-189; s. 67, ch. 93-120; s. 59, ch. 94-306; s. 8, ch. 95-282; s. 23, ch. 96-413; s. 1, ch. 99-296; s. 1, ch. 2000-358; s. 122, ch. 2002-20; s. 1, ch. 2002-181; s. 17, ch. 2005-164; s. 34, ch. 2006-290; s. 1, ch. 2008-87.