2012 -- S 2845

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LC02329

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Senator Walter S. Felag

     Date Introduced: March 28, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-53 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration

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of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-3-53. Veterans' plates. -- (a) The registrar of motor vehicles shall issue for any motor

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vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile, or for any motorcycle eligible for registration as

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a motorcycle, or for a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of ten thousand one pounds

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(10,001 lbs.) or less, plates designated as "Veteran", "Purple Heart", and "Ex-POW" upon

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application on proper forms furnished by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to

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veterans. Gold Star parents shall also be eligible for plates designated as "Veteran".

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      (b) The special plate designated "Veteran" shall be designed as follows;

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      (1) Letters and numbers shall be blue in a white background with the words "Rhode

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Island" clearly visible at the top center of the plate and the word "Veteran" visible at the bottom

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center of the plate.

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      (2) The background will be a red, white and blue waving American Flag.

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      (3) On the top right corner will be a decal with the military branch of the service in

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which the Veteran served (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and

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Gold Star Parent).

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      (4) For war veterans a white decal with blue letters with the words "War Veteran" placed

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under the military branch decal on the right side of the plate above the validation sticker.

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      (c) The applicant shall be required to pay a service charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) and

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a transfer charge of five dollars ($5.00) for each plate.

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      (d) The applicant shall be entitled to a plate for each vehicle owned by the applicant

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upon payment of an additional service charge and/or transfer charge for each vehicle.

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      (e) The owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle and

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having a gross weight of ten thousand one pounds (10,001 lbs.) or less that is issued veteran

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plates shall continue to pay the appropriate commercial registration fee for those plates. The

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owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle having a gross weight

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of six thousand three hundred pounds (6,300 lbs.) but not more than ten thousand one pounds

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(10,001 lbs.) shall sign an affidavit at the time of application for said plates stating that the

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vehicle is to be used for personal use only.

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      (f) (1) For the purposes of this section, a "veteran" shall be defined as any person who

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has served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. The term "veteran" shall also

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include members of the National Guard and Reserves: (i) called to active duty authorized by the

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President of the United States or the Secretary of Defense; or (ii) who have twenty (20) years of

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service with a letter and record of separation of service.

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      (2) For the purposes of this section "War Veteran" shall be defined as any veteran of any

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conflict or undeclared war who has earned a campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal for service

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in either a declared or undeclared war as noted on the war veteran's DD-214. Upon the death of

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the holder of any veteran plates, the plates shall be transferred to the surviving spouse for the

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spouse's lifetime until he or she remarries.

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      (g) The "veteran" or "war veteran" described in subdivisions (f)(1)(i) or (ii) and (2) must

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have been honorably discharged from the armed forces of this nation in order to receive plates

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pursuant to this section and, for purposes of this section, a medical discharge or a general

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discharge shall be deemed an honorable discharge.

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      (h) For the purpose of this section, "Gold Star Parent" means a person who has lost a son

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or a daughter as a result of service with the armed forces of the United States of America;

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provided, the death was determined to be in the line of duty. For the purpose of this section,

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“Gold Star Parent” is specifically defined as the biological or adoptive mother or father only

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whose son or daughter makes the ultimate sacrifice for our country while on active duty with the

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Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard or a reserve component thereof while

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deployed in a combat zone provided death resulted in the line of duty or as a result of wounds

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suffered or accidental injuries incurred in a combat zone. Upon the death of both “Gold Star

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Parents” as defined herein, the license plate bearing that designation for the vehicle registered to

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that person must be surrendered to the department of motor vehicles.

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      (i) Veterans who have served in multiple conflicts are entitled to be issued, veterans'

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plates equal to the number of conflicts he or she served in; provided, the plates are limited to the

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number of vehicles owned by the veteran.

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      (j) A person shall be eligible for a veterans' plate if his or her deceased spouse was

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eligible for a veterans' plate, notwithstanding the fact that the eligible deceased spouse died prior

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to the enactment of this section in 1988.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02329

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

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     This act would change the meaning of “Gold Star Parent”, which would be defined as the

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biological or adoptive mother and father whose son or daughter is killed while on active duty with

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the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard or a reserve component thereof while

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deployed in a combat zone.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02329

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