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H. 5261
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Erickson, G.M. Smith, B. Cox, Caskey, Wooten, Bradley, Sandifer, Whitmire, Ridgeway, Forrester, Clemmons, McGinnis and Hill
Document Path: l:\council\bills\gt\5779cm20.docx
Introduced in the House on February 19, 2020
Currently residing in the House Committee on Education and Public Works
Summary: Special License Plates
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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2/19/2020 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 59)
2/19/2020 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 59)
2/25/2020 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Sandifer,
Whitmire, Ridgeway, Forrester, Clemmons, McGinnis
3/11/2020 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hill
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 147 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE VARIOUS MILITARY SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-7010, RELATING TO THE SIZE, DESIGN, CONTENTS, AND REVALIDATION OF THE COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE AND TO PROVIDE THE NUMBERS THAT APPEAR ON THE LICENSE PLATES WOULD BE ASSIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; AND TO REPEAL ARTICLES 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 33, 38, 43, 53, 55, 56, 57, 59, 63, 68, 74, 84, 88, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 117, 129, 131, 132, 143, AND 144 OF CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF "WARTIME DISABLED VETERAN SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES", FREE VEHICULAR REGISTRATION FOR FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR, THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY RESERVES AND NATIONAL GUARD, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS, PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS, MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, AND NORMANDY INVASION, AND PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS, THE ISSUANCE OF UNITED STATES ARMY, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY, SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, KOREAN WAR VETERANS, VIETNAM VETERANS, MARINE CORPS LEAGUE, WORLD WAR II VETERANS, GOLD STAR FAMILY OPERATION DESERT STORM/DESERT SHIELD, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM VETERAN, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM VETERAN, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR, UNITED STATES NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, DEPARTMENT OF NAVY, PARENTS AND SPOUSES OF ACTIVE-DUTY OVERSEAS VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, COMBAT-RELATED DISABLED VETERAN, RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, PALMETTO CROSS, AND LEGION OF MERIT SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 56 is the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-14710. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Medal of Honor- Army
(2) Medal of Honor- Navy
(3) Medal of Honor- Air Force
(4) Distinguished Service Cross- Army
(5) Distinguished Service Cross- Navy
(6) Distinguished Service Cross- Air Force
(7) South Carolina Medal of Valor
(8) Silver Star
(9) Bronze Star (with valor)
(10) Soldier's Medal
(B) The qualifying active or prior service members must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in Section 56-3-14710(A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14710 (A)(1-3) are exempt from the revalidation requirement.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in Section 56-3-14710(A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of Section 56-3-14710(A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in Section 56-3-14710(A).
(E) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14710(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14720. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Distinguished Service Medal- Army
(2) Distinguished Service Medal- Navy
(3) Distinguished Service Medal- Air Force
(4) Distinguished Service Medal- Marine Corps
(5) Distinguished Service Medal- Coast Guard
(6) Distinguished Flying Cross
(7) Legion of Merit
(8) Palmetto Cross
(B) The qualifying active or prior service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in Section 56-3-14720(A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. This special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in Section 56-3-14720(A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of Section 56-3-14720(A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate which is issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in Section 56-3-14720(A).
(E) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14720(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14730. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to the individuals specified by the following license plate categories:
(1) Gold Star Family: available to immediate family members (spouse, parent, children, or siblings)
(2) Gold Star Family Personalized: available to immediate family members (spouse, parent, children, or siblings)
(3) Prisoner of War: available to the award recipient and spouse
(4) Purple Heart: available to the award recipient
(5) Purple Heart Wheelchair: available to the award recipient.
(B) The qualifying individual must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient or qualifying family members. License plates for awards specified in Section 56-3-14730(A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued. License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14730 (A)(3) are exempt from the revalidation requirement.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in Section 56-3-14730(A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of Section 56-3-14730(A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to those areas or during those times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in Section 56-3-14730(A).
(E) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14730(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14740. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of a service-connected disability for passenger vehicles and motorcycles registered to qualifying veterans:
(1) Disabled Veteran - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation.
(2) Disabled Veteran (Wheelchair) - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation. The applicant also must qualify for handicapped parking privileges as specified in Section 56-3-1910 and follow the application process prescribed by Section 56-3-1910.
(B) The qualifying veteran must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in Section 56-3-14740(A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include a letter indicating the appropriate disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(D) A person who has been issued a license plate under the provisions of Section 56-3-14740(A) is allowed to park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate which is issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in Section 56-3-14740(A).
(E) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14740(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14750. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active service members or veterans who participated in the following military campaigns:
(1) World War II
(2) Pearl Harbor
(3) Normandy Invasion
(4) Korean War
(5) Vietnam War
(6) Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
(7) Operation Iraqi Freedom
(8) Operation Enduring Freedom
(B) The qualifying service member or veteran must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. License plates for medals specified in 56-3-14750(A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant was a participant in a campaign specified in Section 56-3-14750(A).
(D) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14750(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14760. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Air Medal
(2) Bronze Star (service)
(B) The qualifying service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. License plates for medals specified in Section 56-3-14760(A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in Section 56-3-14760(A).
(D) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14760(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14770. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members associated with the following military components or designations:
(1) Veteran
(2) Combat-Related Disabled Veteran - the registrant must have at least a fifty percent combat-related disability as evidenced by a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs defining a combat and operations-related disability
(3) Army
(4) Marine Corps
(5) Navy
(6) Air Force
(7) Coast Guard
(8) National Guard- Army
(9) National Guard- Air
(10) National Guard- Retired
(11) US Military Reserve- Army
(12) US Military Reserve- Marine Corps
(13) US Military Reserve- Navy
(14) US Military Reserve- Air Force
(15) US Military Reserve- Coast Guard
(16) US Armed Forces Retired
(17) State Guard.
(B) The qualifying active or prior service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. License plates for designation specified in Section 56-3-14770(A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate reflective of a branch of service must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) that the registrant is an active or prior service member of that branch of service pursuant to the requirements in Section 56-1-140(B)(1-3). The application for a special license plate reflective of a veteran's designation also must meet the specifications in Section 56-1-140(B)(1-3).
(D) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14760(A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14780. (A) The department may issue the following types of special license plates for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to members of the general public that will financially benefit the following organizations:
(1) Blue Star Family
(2) Veterans of Foreign Wars
(3) American Legion
(4) Disabled American Veterans
(5) American Veterans
(6) Marine Corps League
(7) Chief Petty Officer
(B) License plates for the organizations specified in Section 56-3-14780(A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 and a special motor vehicle license fee set by the sponsoring organization. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) License plates authorized under Section 56-3-14780(A) are subject to the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14790. Upon the death of an award recipient, a surviving spouse may apply to the department for a license plate issued under the provisions of Sections 56-3-14710, 56-3-14720, or 56-3-14730(3). The surviving spouse must turn the plate into the department if they remarry.
Section 56-3-14800. License plates first issued to registrants before to July 1, 2021, are not subject to the revised award documentation requirements specified in this article."
SECTION 2. Section 56-3-7010 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-7010. The special plates must be of the same size and general design as a regular motor vehicle license plate. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint must print the special license plate with the words 'County Veterans Affairs Officer' together with numbers the department may determine necessary Secretary of Veterans Affairs assigns to each county Veterans Affairs officer who applies for the license plate. The plate must be issued or revalidated biennially for the regular registration and licensing period."
SECTION 3. Articles 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 33, 38, 43, 53, 55, 56, 57, 59, 63, 68, 74, 84, 88, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 117, 129, 131, 132, 143, and 144 of Chapter 3, Title 56 are repealed.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2021.
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March 11, 2020 at 11:07 AM