AB 127

This bill creates exemptions from vehicle registration fees for certain vehicles

issued special plates associated with military service and expands the group of

persons authorized to obtain certain types of military special plates.

Current law enumerates various authorized special groups whose members

may obtain from the Department of Transportation special registration plates for

certain vehicles, including automobiles and light motor trucks, that are owned or

leased by special group members. There are approximately 57 authorized special

groups that are military in nature, including groups for persons awarded the

Congressional Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart Medal, the Distinguished Service

Cross Medal, the Air Force Cross Medal, the Navy Cross Medal, and the

Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a group for veterans of the attack on Pearl

Harbor.

This bill expands these listed authorized groups to include a surviving spouse

of the medal recipient or Pearl Harbor veteran.

Under current law, DOT collects a registration fee for the initial registration or

registration renewal of most motor vehicles operated on the highway. The amount

of the registration fee varies by type of vehicle, with automobiles subject to a $75

annual registration fee and motor trucks subject to a fee based on weight. In addition

to the regular registration fee, DOT charges a fee of $15 for the issuance or reissuance

of most special plates. For special plates that are military in nature, this $15

additional fee is deposited into the veterans trust fund. However, for a person

awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, there is no registration fee and no

additional fee for issuance of these special plates.

Under this bill, there is no initial or renewal registration fee and no $15

additional fee for a vehicle registered by a special group member who was awarded,

or who is the surviving spouse of a person awarded, the Purple Heart Medal, the

Distinguished Service Cross Medal, the Air Force Cross Medal, the Navy Cross

Medal, or the Distinguished Service Medal, or who is or is the surviving spouse of a

Pearl Harbor veteran, if the vehicle owner has no other registered vehicles with

military special plates for which there is such a fee exemption. There is also no

registration fee or additional fee for the surviving spouse of a person awarded the

Congressional Medal of Honor. The bill also exempts an honorably discharged

veteran from the $15 additional fee for issuance or reissuance of special plates that

are military in nature, including a veteran's motorcycle plate, if the vehicle owner

has no other registered vehicles with military special plates for which there is such

a fee exemption. DOT must annually report to the Department of Administration

the number of vehicles issued or reissued special plates that are military in nature

for which no $15 additional fee was collected as provided above. DOA must annually

transfer from the general fund to the veterans trust fund an amount equal to the

number of vehicles reported by DOT multiplied by $15.