SB 507

substitute for
Senate BILL NO. 507
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled
"Michigan vehicle code,"
by amending section 803e (MCL 257.803e), as amended by
2022 PA 143.
the peoplE of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 803e. (1) A person who was a prisoner
of war or a person whose spouse was a prisoner of war may apply to the
secretary of state for a special registration plate inscribed with special
identification numbers preceded by the letters "EX-POW" and the words
"ex-prisoner of war" beneath the registration number.
(2) A person who was a member of the
United States Armed Forces during World War I may apply to the secretary of
state for a special registration plate inscribed with special identification
numbers preceded by the letters "WWI" and the words "World War I
veteran" beneath the registration number.
(3) A
person who was a member of the United States Armed Forces during 1941, was
stationed at a United States military or naval establishment at Pearl Harbor in
the Hawaiian Islands, and survived the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941 may apply to the secretary of state for a special registration
plate inscribed with special identification numbers and the words "Pearl
Harbor survivor" beneath the registration number.
(4) A
recipient of the Purple Heart Medal medal may apply to the secretary of state for a
special registration plate inscribed with special identification numbers and
the words "combat wounded veteran" beneath the registration number.
In addition, the special registration plate described in this subsection must
be inscribed with a vignette of the official Purple Heart Medal.medal.
(5) Application for
a special registration plate must be on a form prescribed by the secretary of
state and must be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a
prisoner of war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, or recipient of the Purple
Heart Medal medal that
the secretary of state may require. Application for a "Gold Star
Family", special
registration plate described in subsection (9) or a "Blue Star
Family", or a "Next of Kin"
special registration plate described in subsection
(10) under this section must be on a
form prescribed by the secretary of state and must be accompanied by any proof
of the applicant having been next of kin, or a
gold star or blue star family member that the secretary of state may require.
The application for the special registration plate must not require a service
fee under section 804.
(6) Upon proper
application, the secretary of state shall issue 1 or more special registration
plates under this section for each applicant for use on a passenger vehicle. A
person who is disabled who and applies for a special registration plate under
this section must be issued a tab for persons with disabilities as provided in
section 803f for his or her that special registration plate. The secretary of
state shall require the same proof that the applicant is a disabled person as
is required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under section 675.
One person in any household is entitled to 1 special registration plate issued
under subsection (1) that is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section
801. The person who is issued an additional special registration plate under
subsection (1) must be assessed the applicable tax provided for in section 801. A person issued 1 or more
special registration plates under subsection (2), (3), (4), (9), or (10), or (11)
must be assessed the applicable tax provided in section 801.
(7) The use of a
special registration plate issued under this section on a vehicle other than
the vehicle for which the plate is issued, or by a person who does not qualify
under this section, is a misdemeanor.
(8) The A special
registration plate issued under this section expires on the birthday of the
vehicle owner in a year in which new plates are issued by the secretary of
state. Application for renewal of the special registration plate must not
require a service fee under section 804. The applicant is not required to
furnish the proof provided in subsection (5).
(9) A gold star
family member may apply to the secretary of state for a special registration
plate inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by a gold star and
the words "Gold Star Family" beneath the registration number.
(10) A blue star
family member may apply to the secretary of state for a special registration
plate inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by a Blue Star
Families insignia and the words "Blue Star Family" beneath the
registration number.
(11) A next of kin may apply to the secretary of state for a special
registration plate inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by an
insignia of a Next of Kin of Deceased Personnel lapel button and the words
"Next of Kin" beneath the registration number.
(12) (11) As
used in this section:
(a) "Blue star
family member" means a person who is currently serving in the United
States Armed Forces or in forces incorporated as part of the United States
Armed Forces or a person who has an immediate family member serving in the
United States Armed Forces or in forces incorporated as part of the United
States Armed Forces. As used in this subdivision, "immediate family
member" means a parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent
standing in loco parentis, child, stepchild, adopted child, sibling,
half-sibling, spouse, or grandparent.
(b) "Gold star
family member" means a person who has had an immediate family member die
while serving in the United States Armed Forces or in forces incorporated as
part of the United States Armed Forces if the immediate family member meets any
of the eligibility criteria specified in 10 USC 1126(a)(1) to (3) for a gold
star lapel button.
(c) "Next of kin" means a person who is a qualified family
member of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who lost their life
while serving on active duty or while assigned in an Army Reserve or Army
National Guard unit in a drill status. As used in this subdivision,
"qualified family member" means the deceased member's surviving spouse, even if the surviving spouse has
remarried, and each biological parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, foster
parent who stood in loco parentis, child, step-child, adopted child, sibling,
and half-sibling of the deceased member.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 180
days after the date it is enacted into law.