Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1374
By Senator Perry
8-01145B-17 20171374__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to transportation; directing the
3 Department of Transportation to erect signage in
4 specified counties to commemorate certain conflicts
5 involving the United States Armed Forces; amending s.
6 320.08056, F.S.; establishing annual use fees for
7 certain specialty license plates; revising conditions
8 for discontinuing issuance of a specialty license
9 plate; providing exceptions; amending s. 320.08058,
10 F.S.; directing the Department of Highway Safety and
11 Motor Vehicles to develop certain specialty license
12 plates; providing for distribution and use of fees
13 collected from the sale of the plates; amending s.
14 320.089, F.S.; creating a special license plate for
15 recipients of the Bronze Star medal; requiring any
16 revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran
17 license plates to be deposited into the Grants and
18 Donations Trust Fund instead of the Operations and
19 Maintenance Trust Fund; conforming a cross-reference;
20 authorizing the likeness of the Prisoner of War Medal
21 to be on the Ex-POW license plate; providing effective
22 dates.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. United States Armed Forces commemoration;
27 Department of Transportation to erect appropriate signage.—
28 (1) The Department of Transportation is directed to erect
29 appropriate signage as described in subsection (2), at intervals
30 determined by the department, along that portion of S.R.
31 589/Veterans Expressway between S.R. 60 in Hillsborough County
32 and U.S. 98 in Hernando County.
33 (2) The department shall erect an appropriate sign to
34 commemorate each of the following conflicts involving the United
35 States Armed Forces:
36 (a) World War I.
37 (b) World War II.
38 (c) The Korean War.
39 (d) The Vietnam War.
40 (e) Operation Desert Shield.
41 (f) Operation Desert Storm.
42 (g) Operation Enduring Freedom.
43 (h) Operation Iraqi Freedom.
44 Section 2. Effective October 1, 2017, paragraphs (ffff) and
45 (gggg) are added to subsection (4) of section 320.08056, Florida
46 Statutes, to read:
47 320.08056 Specialty license plates.—
48 (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be
49 collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
50 (ffff) Auburn University license plate, $25.
51 (gggg) Ethical Ecotourism license plate, $25.
52 Section 3. Effective July 1, 2019, paragraph (a) of
53 subsection (8) of section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, is
54 amended to read:
55 320.08056 Specialty license plates.—
56 (8)(a) The department must discontinue the issuance of an
57 approved specialty license plate if the revenue generated from
58 the sale of the number of valid specialty plate registrations
59 falls below the actual cost the department incurs to maintain
60 that plate in circulation 1,000 plates for at least 12
61 consecutive months. A warning letter shall be mailed to the
62 sponsoring organization following the first month in which the
63 revenue generated from the sale of the total number of valid
64 specialty plate registrations is below the actual cost the
65 department incurs to maintain that plate in circulation for at
66 least 12 consecutive months 1,000 plates. This paragraph does
67 not apply to collegiate license plates established under s.
68 320.08058(3) or specialty license plates the purchase of which
69 is limited by statutory eligibility requirements.
70 Section 4. Effective October 1, 2017, subsections (84) and
71 (85) are added to section 320.08058, Florida Statutes, to read:
72 320.08058 Specialty license plates.—
73 (84) AUBURN UNIVERSITY LICENSE PLATES.—
74 (a) Notwithstanding s. 320.08053, the department shall
75 develop an Auburn University license plate as provided in this
76 subsection. Auburn University license plates must bear the
77 colors and design approved by the department. The word “Florida”
78 must appear at the top of the plate, and the words “Auburn
79 Tigers” or “War Eagles” must appear at the bottom of the plate.
80 (b) The department shall retain all annual use fees from
81 the sale of the plate until all startup costs for developing and
82 issuing the plate have been recovered. Thereafter, the annual
83 use fees from sale of the plate shall be remitted to the
84 Department of Revenue for deposit into the Educational
85 Enhancement Trust Fund and distributed by the Department of
86 Education as scholarships to Florida residents attending Auburn
87 University. Students receiving such scholarship funds shall use
88 the funds to pay tuition and other expenses related to attending
89 Auburn University.
90 (85) ETHICAL ECOTOURISM LICENSE PLATES.—
91 (a) The department shall develop an Ethical Ecotourism
92 license plate as provided in this section and s. 320.08053. The
93 word “Florida” must appear at the top of the plate, and words
94 that are approved by the department must appear at the bottom of
95 the plate.
96 (b) The annual use fees from the sale of the plate shall be
97 distributed equally between the Florida Society for Ethical
98 Ecotourism and Paddle Florida, Inc., which may use up to 10
99 percent of the proceeds for administrative costs and marketing
100 of the plate.
101 Section 5. Section 320.089, Florida Statutes, is amended to
102 read:
103 320.089 Veterans of the United States Armed Forces; members
104 of National Guard; survivors of Pearl Harbor; Purple Heart and
105 Bronze Star medal recipients; active or retired United States
106 Armed Forces reservists; Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Medical
107 Badge, or Combat Action Badge recipients; Combat Action Ribbon
108 recipients; Air Force Combat Action Medal recipients;
109 Distinguished Flying Cross recipients; former prisoners of war;
110 Korean War Veterans; Vietnam War Veterans; Operation Desert
111 Shield Veterans; Operation Desert Storm Veterans; Operation
112 Enduring Freedom Veterans; Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans;
113 Women Veterans; World War II Veterans; and Navy Submariners;
114 special license plates; fee.—
115 (1)(a) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
116 private use or recreational vehicle as specified in s.
117 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial
118 use, who is a resident of the state and a veteran of the United
119 States Armed Forces, a Woman Veteran, a World War II Veteran, a
120 Navy Submariner, an active or retired member of the Florida
121 National Guard, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a
122 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, a recipient of the Bronze
123 Star medal, an active or retired member of any branch of the
124 United States Armed Forces Reserve, or a recipient of the Combat
125 Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge,
126 Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or
127 Distinguished Flying Cross, upon application to the department,
128 accompanied by proof of release or discharge from any branch of
129 the United States Armed Forces, proof of active membership or
130 retired status in the Florida National Guard, proof of
131 membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association or proof of
132 active military duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, proof
133 of being a Purple Heart or Bronze Star medal recipient, proof of
134 active or retired membership in any branch of the United States
135 Armed Forces Reserve, or proof of membership in the Combat
136 Infantrymen’s Association, Inc., proof of being a recipient of
137 the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action
138 Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or
139 Distinguished Flying Cross, and upon payment of the license tax
140 for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a
141 license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the
142 serial numbers prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the
143 words “Veteran,” “Woman Veteran,” “WWII Veteran,” “Navy
144 Submariner,” “National Guard,” “Pearl Harbor Survivor,” “Combat
145 wounded veteran,” “Bronze Star,” “U.S. Reserve,” “Combat
146 Infantry Badge,” “Combat Medical Badge,” “Combat Action Badge,”
147 “Combat Action Ribbon,” “Air Force Combat Action Medal,” or
148 “Distinguished Flying Cross,” as appropriate, and a likeness of
149 the related campaign medal or badge, followed by the serial
150 number of the license plate. Additionally, the Purple Heart
151 plate may have the words “Purple Heart” stamped on the plate and
152 the likeness of the Purple Heart medal appearing on the plate.
153 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
154 contrary, beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003 and annually
155 thereafter, the first $100,000 in general revenue generated from
156 the sale of license plates issued under this section shall be
157 deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, as described
158 in s. 296.38(2), to be used for the purposes established by law
159 for that trust fund. Any additional general revenue generated
160 from the sale of such plates shall be deposited into the State
161 Homes for Veterans Trust Fund and used solely to construct,
162 operate, and maintain domiciliary and nursing homes for
163 veterans, subject to the requirements of chapter 216.
164 (c) Any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran
165 license plates must be deposited into the Grants and Donations
166 Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund administered by the
167 Department of Veterans’ Affairs pursuant to s. 20.375(2) s.
168 20.375(3) and must be used solely for the purpose of creating
169 and implementing programs to benefit women veterans.
170 Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, an
171 applicant for a Pearl Harbor Survivor license plate or a Purple
172 Heart license plate who also qualifies for a disabled veteran’s
173 license plate under s. 320.084 shall be issued the appropriate
174 special license plate without payment of the license tax imposed
175 by s. 320.08.
176 (2) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
177 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
178 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
179 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
180 of this state and who is a former prisoner of war, or his or her
181 unremarried surviving spouse, upon application to the
182 department, shall be issued a license plate as provided in s.
183 320.06 which may have the words “Ex-POW”, stamped on the plate
184 and the likeness of the Prisoner of War Medal with the words
185 “Ex-POW” followed by the serial number. Each application shall
186 be accompanied by proof that the applicant meets the
187 qualifications specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b).
188 (a) A citizen of the United States who served as a member
189 of the Armed Forces of the United States or the armed forces of
190 a nation allied with the United States who was held as a
191 prisoner of war at such time as the Armed Forces of the United
192 States were engaged in combat, or his or her unremarried
193 surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate
194 provided for in this subsection without payment of the license
195 tax imposed by s. 320.08.
196 (b) A person who was serving as a civilian with the consent
197 of the United States Government, or a person who was a member of
198 the Armed Forces of the United States while he or she was not a
199 United States citizen and was held as a prisoner of war when the
200 Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or his
201 or her unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special
202 license plate provided for in this subsection upon payment of
203 the license tax imposed by s. 320.08.
204 (3) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
205 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
206 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
207 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
208 of this state and who is the unremarried surviving spouse of a
209 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, upon application to the
210 department accompanied by the payment of the required fees,
211 shall be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06 which
212 is stamped with the words “Purple Heart” and the likeness of the
213 Purple Heart medal followed by the serial number. Each
214 application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant is
215 the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple
216 Heart medal.
217 (4) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
218 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
219 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
220 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
221 of this state and a current or former member of the United
222 States Armed Forces who was deployed and served in Korea during
223 the Korean War as defined in s. 1.01(14), upon application to
224 the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
225 former active duty status during the Korean War and payment of
226 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
227 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
228 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
229 is stamped with the words “Korean War Veteran” and a likeness of
230 the Korean Service Medal, followed by the registration license
231 number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the
232 Korean Service Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for
233 the license plate.
234 (5) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
235 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
236 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
237 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
238 of this state and a current or former member of the United
239 States military who was deployed and served in Vietnam during
240 United States military deployment in Indochina, upon application
241 to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
242 former active duty status during these operations and payment of
243 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
244 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
245 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
246 is stamped with the words “Vietnam War Veteran” and a likeness
247 of the Vietnam Service Medal, followed by the registration
248 license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was
249 awarded the Vietnam Service Medal is sufficient to establish
250 eligibility for the license plate.
251 (6) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
252 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
253 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
254 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
255 of this state and a current or former member of the United
256 States military who was deployed and served in Saudi Arabia,
257 Kuwait, or another area of the Persian Gulf during Operation
258 Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm; in Afghanistan during
259 Operation Enduring Freedom; or in Iraq during Operation Iraqi
260 Freedom, upon application to the department accompanied by proof
261 of active membership or former active duty status during one of
262 these operations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle
263 as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as
264 provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license
265 number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words
266 “Operation Desert Shield,” “Operation Desert Storm,” “Operation
267 Enduring Freedom,” or “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” as appropriate,
268 and a likeness of the related campaign medal followed by the
269 registration license number of the plate. Proof that the
270 applicant was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Iraq
271 Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Global War on
272 Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is sufficient to establish
273 eligibility for the appropriate license plate.
274 Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
275 act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2017.