Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
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.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB115,1 1Section 1 . 341.14 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,2,52 341.14 (5) Upon application by any person awarded the congressional medal
3of honor or the person's surviving spouse, and upon submission of proper proof
4thereof, the department shall issue special plates so designed as to indicate such
5award. No charge whatever shall be made for the issuance of such plates.
SB115,2 6Section 2 . 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,47 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. a. A Except as provided in sub. (17) (a), a fee of $15 shall be
8charged for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under

1par. (f) 1. to 15., 16. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., 51., or 56. All moneys received under
2this subd. 9. a. in excess of the initial costs of production of the special group plates
3under par. (f) 3m., 6m., 9g., 9m., 12g., 12m., 49d., 49h., 49s., and 56. or $37,800,
4whichever is less, shall be deposited in the veterans trust fund.
SB115,3,95 b. A Except as provided in sub. (17) (a), a fee of $15 shall be charged for the
6issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under par. (f) 15m. to
715q. or 62. All moneys received under this subd. 9. b. in excess of the initial costs of
8production of the special group plate under par. (f) 15m., 2011 stats., or $23,700,
9whichever is less, shall be deposited in the veterans trust fund.
SB115,3 10Section 3 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 20. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,1211 341.14 (6r) (f) 20. Persons awarded the distinguished service cross medal or
12the surviving spouse of any such person
.
SB115,4 13Section 4 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 21. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,1514 341.14 (6r) (f) 21. Persons awarded the air force cross medal or the surviving
15spouse of any such person
.
SB115,5 16Section 5 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 22. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,1817 341.14 (6r) (f) 22. Persons awarded the navy cross medal or the surviving
18spouse of any such person
.
SB115,6 19Section 6 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 23. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,2120 341.14 (6r) (f) 23. Persons awarded the distinguished service medal from any
21branch of the U.S. armed forces or the surviving spouse of any such person.
SB115,7 22Section 7 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 32. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,3,2423 341.14 (6r) (f) 32. Persons awarded the purple heart medal or the surviving
24spouse of any such person
.
SB115,8 25Section 8 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 51. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,4,2
1341.14 (6r) (f) 51. Veterans of the attack on Pearl Harbor who were stationed
2in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, or the surviving spouse of any such veteran.
SB115,9 3Section 9 . 341.14 (6w) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,4,134 341.14 (6w) Upon application to register a motorcycle by any person who is a
5resident of this state and a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, the department shall
6issue to the person a special plate whose colors and design shall indicate that the
7vehicle is owned by a veteran of the U.S. armed forces. The department shall specify
8the design of the special plate. Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (2m), the special plate
9shall be colored red, white, and blue and be 4 inches by 7 inches in size. An additional
10fee of $15 shall be charged for the issuance or reissuance of the plate unless the
11motorcycle owner is an honorably discharged veteran who has no other vehicles
12registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub.
13(5), (6), or (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51
.
SB115,10 14Section 10 . 341.14 (8) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 341.14 (8) (a) (intro.)
15and amended to read:
SB115,4,2516 341.14 (8) (a) (intro.) If a special plate for a group associated with a branch of
17the armed services or otherwise military in nature has been issued to a person under
18this section, or if a special plate under sub. (6r) (f) 33. or 33m. has been issued to a
19person who dies in the line of duty, upon application by the surviving spouse of the
20person, the department shall permit the surviving spouse to retain the plate. If the
21plate has been returned to the department or surrendered to another state, the
22department shall reissue the plate to the surviving spouse if the application for
23reissuance of the plate is made within 2 years of the plate's return or surrender. The
24department shall charge an additional fee of $15 to reissue the plate . unless all of the
25following apply:
SB115,11
1Section 11. 341.14 (8) (a) 1. and 2. of the statutes are created to read:
SB115,5,42 341.14 (8) (a) 1. The plate is reissued to the surviving spouse of an honorably
3discharged veteran who was a member of a special group associated with a branch
4of the armed services or otherwise military in nature.
SB115,5,75 2. The surviving spouse under subd. 1. has no other vehicles registered with
6the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), (6r) (f)
71. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51., or (6w).
SB115,12 8Section 12 . 341.14 (17) of the statutes is created to read:
SB115,5,139 341.14 (17) (a) 1. The department may not charge a person the $15 fee under
10sub. (6r) (b) 9. a. for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified
11under sub. (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51. if the person has no other vehicles
12registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub.
13(5), (6), or (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.
SB115,5,1914 2. The department may not charge a person the $15 fee under sub. (6r) (b) 9.
15a. or b. for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under
16sub. (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 24. to 31., or 49. to 49s. if the person is an honorably discharged
17veteran and the person has no other vehicles registered with the department for
18which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32.,
1949. to 49s., or 51., or (6w).
SB115,5,2120 (b) 1. The department shall annually report to the secretary of administration
21the sum of the following:
SB115,5,2522 a. The number of vehicles issued or reissued special group plates under sub.
23(6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51. for which no fee was collected under sub.
24(6r) (b) 9. because the vehicle owner is an honorably discharged veteran or the special
25group is one specified under sub. (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.
SB115,6,3
1b. The number of vehicles issued or reissued special plates under sub. (6w) for
2which no fee was collected under sub. (6w) because the motorcycle owner is an
3honorably discharged veteran.
SB115,6,64 2. The secretary of administration shall annually transfer from the general
5fund to the veterans trust fund an amount equal to the number reported under subd.
61. multiplied by $15.
SB115,13 7Section 13 . 341.25 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB115,6,128 341.25 (1) (intro.) Unless a different fee is prescribed for a particular vehicle
9by par. (b), sub. (5), or ss. 341.26 to 341.268, the following registration fees shall be
10paid to the department for the annual registration of each motor vehicle, recreational
11vehicle, trailer or semitrailer not exempted by s. 341.05 from registration in this
12state:
SB115,14 13Section 14 . 341.25 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB115,6,1714 341.25 (5) (a) There is no registration fee for a vehicle issued special group
15plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51. if the vehicle owner has no
16other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been
17issued under s. 341.14 (5), (6), or (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.
SB115,6,1918 (b) There is no registration fee for a vehicle issued special plates under s. 341.14
19(5).
SB115,15 20Section 15 . Initial applicability.
SB115,6,2221 (1) This act first applies to applications for registration received by the
22department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.
SB115,16 23Section 16 . Effective date.
SB115,7,2
1(1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 9th month beginning after
2publication.
SB115,7,33 (End)
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