Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1168
By Senator Harrell
25-00997-21 20211168__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to special license plates; amending s.
3 320.089, F.S.; authorizing the Department of Highway
4 Safety and Motor Vehicles to issue Army of Occupation
5 license plates; specifying qualifications and
6 requirements for the license plates; providing an
7 effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Section 320.089, Florida Statutes, is amended to
12 read:
13 320.089 Veterans of the United States Armed Forces; members
14 of National Guard; survivors of Pearl Harbor; Purple Heart medal
15 recipients; Bronze Star recipients; active or retired United
16 States Armed Forces reservists; Combat Infantry Badge, Combat
17 Medical Badge, or Combat Action Badge recipients; Combat Action
18 Ribbon recipients; Air Force Combat Action Medal recipients;
19 Distinguished Flying Cross recipients; former prisoners of war;
20 Korean War Veterans; Vietnam War Veterans; Operation Desert
21 Shield Veterans; Operation Desert Storm Veterans; Operation
22 Enduring Freedom Veterans; Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans;
23 Women Veterans; World War II Veterans; and Navy Submariners; and
24 Army of Occupation Veterans; special license plates; fee.—
25 (1)(a) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
26 private use or recreational vehicle as specified in s.
27 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial
28 use, who is a resident of the state and a veteran of the United
29 States Armed Forces, a Woman Veteran, a World War II Veteran, a
30 Navy Submariner, an active or retired member of the Florida
31 National Guard, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a
32 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, a recipient of the Bronze
33 Star, an active or retired member of any branch of the United
34 States Armed Forces Reserve, or a recipient of the Combat
35 Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge,
36 Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or
37 Distinguished Flying Cross, upon application to the department,
38 accompanied by proof of release or discharge from any branch of
39 the United States Armed Forces, proof of active membership or
40 retired status in the Florida National Guard, proof of
41 membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association or proof of
42 active military duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, proof
43 of being a Purple Heart medal recipient, proof of being a Bronze
44 Star recipient, proof of active or retired membership in any
45 branch of the United States Armed Forces Reserve, or proof of
46 membership in the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, Inc., proof
47 of being a recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat
48 Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Air
49 Force Combat Action Medal, or Distinguished Flying Cross, and
50 upon payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in
51 s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s.
52 320.06 which, in lieu of the serial numbers prescribed by s.
53 320.06, is stamped with the words “Veteran,” “Woman Veteran,”
54 “WWII Veteran,” “Navy Submariner,” “National Guard,” “Pearl
55 Harbor Survivor,” “Combat-wounded veteran,” “Bronze Star,” “U.S.
56 Reserve,” “Combat Infantry Badge,” “Combat Medical Badge,”
57 “Combat Action Badge,” “Combat Action Ribbon,” “Air Force Combat
58 Action Medal,” or “Distinguished Flying Cross,” as appropriate,
59 and a likeness of the related campaign medal or badge, followed
60 by the serial number of the license plate. Additionally, the
61 Purple Heart plate may have the words “Purple Heart” stamped on
62 the plate and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal appearing
63 on the plate.
64 (b) The military members listed in paragraph (a) are
65 eligible to be issued special veteran’s motorcycle license
66 plates. The veteran’s motorcycle license plate design shall be
67 the same as the design for the motor vehicle “Veteran” and
68 “Woman Veteran” special license plate. The word “Veteran” or
69 “Woman Veteran” shall be displayed at the bottom of the
70 motorcycle license plate.
71 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
72 contrary, beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003 and annually
73 thereafter, the first $100,000 in general revenue generated from
74 the sale of license plates issued under this section shall be
75 deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, as described
76 in s. 296.38(2), to be used for the purposes established by law
77 for that trust fund. Any additional general revenue generated
78 from the sale of such plates shall be deposited into the
79 Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund within the Department of
80 Veterans’ Affairs and used to support program operations that
81 benefit veterans or the operation, maintenance, or construction
82 of domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans, subject to the
83 requirements of chapter 216.
84 (d) Any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran
85 license plates must be deposited into the Operations and
86 Maintenance Trust Fund administered by the Department of
87 Veterans’ Affairs pursuant to s. 20.375(3) and must be used
88 solely for the purpose of creating and implementing programs to
89 benefit women veterans. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to
90 the contrary, an applicant for a Pearl Harbor Survivor license
91 plate or a Purple Heart license plate who also qualifies for a
92 disabled veteran’s license plate under s. 320.084 shall be
93 issued the appropriate special license plate without payment of
94 the license tax imposed by s. 320.08.
95 (2) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
96 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
97 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
98 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
99 of this state and who is a former prisoner of war, or his or her
100 unremarried surviving spouse, upon application to the
101 department, shall be issued a license plate as provided in s.
102 320.06, stamped with the words “Ex-POW” followed by the serial
103 number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the
104 applicant meets the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) or
105 paragraph (b).
106 (a) A citizen of the United States who served as a member
107 of the Armed Forces of the United States or the armed forces of
108 a nation allied with the United States who was held as a
109 prisoner of war at such time as the Armed Forces of the United
110 States were engaged in combat, or his or her unremarried
111 surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate
112 provided for in this subsection without payment of the license
113 tax imposed by s. 320.08.
114 (b) A person who was serving as a civilian with the consent
115 of the United States Government, or a person who was a member of
116 the Armed Forces of the United States while he or she was not a
117 United States citizen and was held as a prisoner of war when the
118 Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or his
119 or her unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special
120 license plate provided for in this subsection upon payment of
121 the license tax imposed by s. 320.08.
122 (3) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
123 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
124 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
125 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
126 of this state and who is the unremarried surviving spouse of a
127 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, upon application to the
128 department accompanied by the payment of the required fees,
129 shall be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06 which
130 is stamped with the words “Purple Heart” and the likeness of the
131 Purple Heart medal followed by the serial number. Each
132 application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant is
133 the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple
134 Heart medal.
135 (4) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
136 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
137 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
138 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
139 of this state and a current or former member of the United
140 States Armed Forces who was deployed and served in Korea during
141 the Korean War as defined in s. 1.01(14), upon application to
142 the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
143 former active duty status during the Korean War and payment of
144 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
145 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
146 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
147 is stamped with the words “Korean War Veteran” and a likeness of
148 the Korean Service Medal, followed by the registration license
149 number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the
150 Korean Service Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for
151 the license plate.
152 (5) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
153 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
154 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
155 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
156 of this state and a current or former member of the United
157 States military who was deployed and served in Vietnam during
158 United States military deployment in Indochina, upon application
159 to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
160 former active duty status during these operations and payment of
161 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
162 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
163 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
164 is stamped with the words “Vietnam War Veteran” and a likeness
165 of the Vietnam Service Medal, followed by the registration
166 license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was
167 awarded the Vietnam Service Medal is sufficient to establish
168 eligibility for the license plate.
169 (6) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
170 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
171 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
172 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
173 of this state and a current or former member of the United
174 States military who was deployed and served in Saudi Arabia,
175 Kuwait, or another area of the Persian Gulf during Operation
176 Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm; in Afghanistan during
177 Operation Enduring Freedom; or in Iraq during Operation Iraqi
178 Freedom, upon application to the department accompanied by proof
179 of active membership or former active duty status during one of
180 these operations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle
181 as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as
182 provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license
183 number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words
184 “Operation Desert Shield,” “Operation Desert Storm,” “Operation
185 Enduring Freedom,” or “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” as appropriate,
186 and a likeness of the related campaign medal followed by the
187 registration license number of the plate. Proof that the
188 applicant was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Iraq
189 Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Global War on
190 Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is sufficient to establish
191 eligibility for the appropriate license plate.
192 (7) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
193 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
194 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
195 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
196 of this state and a current or former member of the United
197 States military who was permanently assigned to occupation
198 forces in specific overseas locations during the Cold War
199 between May 9, 1945, and October 2, 1990, upon application to
200 the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
201 former active duty status during this period at one of these
202 locations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle as
203 provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as
204 provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license
205 number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words “Army
206 of Occupation” and a likeness of the subject medal, followed by
207 the registration license number of the plate. Proof that the
208 applicant was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal is sufficient
209 to establish eligibility for the license plate.
210 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.