ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB 2446: military services special plates

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Griffin, LD 14

BILL STATUS: Senate Engrossed

                               Senate 3^rd Read: 26-2-2-0

Overview

Establishes the military services special plate.

History

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is required to issue or renew special license plates in lieu of regular license plates under specified conditions and procedures. (A.R.S. § 28-2403) A $25 fee is required for each original and each annual renewal of special plates, with some exceptions. (A.R.S. § 28-2402) Special license plates currently being offered include Arizona State University, Purple Heart, Child Abuse Prevention, Historic Plate. ADOT currently offers over 60 special license plates.

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-608, the Veterans Donation Fund (VDF) is established consisting of monies, gifts and contributions donated and monies from certain veteran and honored military special plates. The Arizona Department of Veterans' Services (ADVS) is required to administer the fund and may use fund monies for the benefit of the veterans within Arizona as grants. A separate subaccount is established in the VDF for deposit of monies from the women veteran special plate. Monies in the subaccount must be used for the benefit of women veterans in Arizona, including providing shelter to homeless women veterans as grants.

Provisions

1. Directs ADOT to issue a military services special plate, if by December 31, 2019 a person pays $32,000 for implementation. (Sec. 3)

2. Requires ADOT and ADVS to design the military services special plate. (Sec. 3)

3. Allows ADOT to combine requests for a military services special plate and a personalized special plate, in a form prescribed by ADOT and subject to fees for both plates. (Sec. 3)

4. Requires, that upon request of the applicant, a military branch of service insignia to be placed on the special plate. (Sec. 3)

5. Stipulates that, of the $25 fee required to obtain and renew a special plate, $8 is an administrative fee and $17 is an annual donation. (Sec. 3)

6. Directs ADOT to deposit the $8 administration fee into the state highway fund and the $17 annual donation into the VDF. (Sec. 3)

7. Requires the Director of ADVS to establish a separate subaccount in the VDF for the deposit of monies received from the military services special plate. (Sec. 8)

8. Requires the first $32,000 in the subaccount to be reimbursed to the person who paid the initial implementation fee. (Sec. 8)

9. Requires the remaining monies in the subaccount to be used for services to benefit:

a. U.S. veterans in Arizona; or

b. Immediate family members of U.S. veterans in Arizona. (Sec. 8)

10. Contains a delayed effective date of October 1, 2019. (Sec. 9)

11. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1,2, 4-8, 10)

Senate Amendments

1. Requires each women veteran special plate to contain a red white and blue design with the designation women veterans at the bottom of the plate.

2. Directs ADOT to design six women veteran special plates as follows:

a. One plate with an Army seal;

b. One plate with a Navy seal;

c. One plate with a U.S Marine Corps seal;

d. One plate with an Air Force seal;

e. One plate with a Coast Guard seal; and

f. One plate with a red, white and blue design and a women veteran designation at the bottom.

2. Requires that an applicant for a women veteran special plate with a specific branch seal design to submit satisfactory proof that:

a. The applicant is a veteran; or

b. The applicant is an immediate family member.

3. Specifies that an applicant that is not a veteran or a veteran's immediate family may receive the women veteran special plate without a branch seal.

4. Makes technical and conforming changes.

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Fifty-fourth Legislature                               HB 2446

First Regular Session                    Version 4: Senate Engrossed

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