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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
AMENDED
May 22, 2008
S. 1050
S. Printed 5/22/08--H.
Read the first time February 5, 2008.
TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 OF THE 1976 CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE OPERATION DESERT STORM-DESERT SHIELD VETERANS LICENSE PLATES, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM VETERANS LICENSE PLATES, AND OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM VETERANS LICENSE PLATES.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10110. (A) The department may issue 'Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield who served on active duty in the Persian Gulf at anytime during the period of August 2, 1990, to February 28, 1991. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty during Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.
(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.
(C) The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 2. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10210. (A) The department may issue 'Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom who served on active duty fighting against terrorism at anytime following September 11, 2001, until the operation is completed. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.
(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.
(C) The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 3. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10310. (A) The department may issue 'Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger-carrying motor vehicles or light pickups as defined in Section 56-3-630 registered in their names who are veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom who served on active duty in Iraq or the Persian Gulf at anytime from March 20, 2003, until the operation is completed. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that he served on active duty in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with his application for this special license plate. The special license plate may have imprinted on it an emblem, a seal, or other symbol that honors veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of twenty dollars.
(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of the department in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be placed in the state's general fund.
(C) The guidelines for the production of a special license plate under this section must meet the requirements of Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 4. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10410. (A) The department may issue a 'Veteran' special motor vehicle license plate for use on a private passenger motor vehicle or motorcycle registered in a person's name in this State who served in the United States Armed Forces, active or reserve components, and who was honorably discharged from service. An application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include official military documentation showing the applicant was honorably discharged from service. Only two plates may be issued to a person.
(B) The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The biennial fee for this plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint the special license plates with the word 'Veteran', with numbers the department may determine.
(C) A license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made and being approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful for a person to whom the plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department.
(D) The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative to those other provisions. A person violating the provisions of this article or a person who (A) fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in any application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (B) conceals a material fact, or (C) otherwise commits fraud in the application or in the use of a special license plate issued is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both.
SECTION 5. Section 56-3-8000(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 398 of 2006, is further amended to read:
"(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private passenger motor vehicles registered in their names which may have imprinted on the plate the emblem, a seal, or other symbol the department considers appropriate of an organization which has obtained certification pursuant to either Section 501(C)(3), 501(C)(6), 501(C)(7), or 501(C)(8) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code and maintained this certification for a period of five years. The biennial fee for this special license plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title plus an additional fee to be requested by the individual or organization seeking issuance of the plate. The initial fee amount requested may be changed only every five years from the first year the plate is issued. Of the additional fee collected pursuant to this section, the Comptroller General shall place sufficient funds into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray the expenses of producing and administering special license plates. Any of the remaining fee not placed in the restricted account must be distributed to an organization designated by the individual or organization seeking issuance of the license plate. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued."
SECTION 6. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10110. The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'I Believe' special motor vehicle license plates to owners of private motor vehicles registered in their names. The plate must contain the words 'I Believe' and a cross superimposed on a stained glass window. The biennial fee for this special license plate is the same as the fee provided in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The guidelines for the production of this Special license plate must meet the requirements contained in Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 7. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10610. (A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Silver Star' special license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who have been awarded the Silver Star. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that the owner received the Silver Star, along with the owner's application for this special license plate. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The license plates issued pursuant to this section must contain the words 'combat veteran' and an illustration of the Silver Star.
(B) The production and issuance of this special license plate are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 8. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-10710. (A) The Department of Motor Vehicles may issue 'Bronze Star' special license plates to owners of private passenger carrying motor vehicles registered in their names who have been awarded the Bronze Star. The motor vehicle owner must present the department with a DD214, or other official documentation that states that the owner received the Bronze Star, along with the owner's application for this special license plate. The fee for this special license plate is the regular motor vehicle license fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The license plates issued pursuant to this section must contain the words 'combat veteran' and an illustration of the Bronze Star.
(B) The production and issuance of this special license plate are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100."
SECTION 9. Section 56-3-3310 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 53 of 2005, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-3-3310. The department may issue a permanent special motor vehicle license plate to a recipient of the Purple Heart for use on a private passenger motor vehicle or motorcycle. The biennial fee for the special license plate is the same as the fee provided in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title, There is no fee for the license plate, and not more than two license plates may be issued to a person. The application for a special plate must include proof the applicant is a recipient of the Purple Heart."
SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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