AB112: Bill Text

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2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Assembly BILL 112

February 22, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Ainsworth, Ballweg, Bies, Hahn, Hines, Lehman, Ott, Pettis, Suder, Townsend and Van Roy, cosponsored by Senators Cowles, Grothman and Lassa. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB112,1,2 An Act to amend 341.135 (1), 341.135 (2) and 341.14 (1) of the statutes; relating to: motor vehicle registration plates for disabled veterans.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a person who submits to the Department of Transportation (DOT) a certification from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that the person sustained injuries while in active military service that limit or impair the person's ability to walk may obtain from DOT special distinguishing registration plates for certain vehicles, including automobiles, light-duty trucks, and motor homes, that identify the owner or lessee of the vehicle as a disabled veteran. Current law requires the design of special plates for disabled veterans to include a light blue background, a white border, and mostly blue lettering but with the word "VET" and the plate numbers displayed in red.

This bill allows DOT to determine the design of special plates for disabled veterans, but requires these plates to be colored red, white, and blue.

Current law also requires DOT to redesign and reissue every seven years most motor vehicle registration plates for certain vehicles, primarily automobiles and light-duty trucks. However, special plates for disabled veterans are exempt from this seven-year redesign and reissuance requirement.

This bill makes special plates for disabled veterans subject to the seven-year redesign and reissuance requirement.

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:

AB112, s. 1 Section 1. 341.135 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB112,2,18 341.135 (1) Design. Every 7th year, the department shall establish new designs of registration plates to be issued under ss. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), and (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), and (j) and (2) (a), (b), and (c), and 341.26 (2) and (3) (a) 1. and (am). Any design for registration plates issued for automobiles and for vehicles registered on the basis of gross weight shall comply with the applicable design requirements of ss. 341.12 (3), 341.13, and 341.14 (6r) (c). The designs for registration plates specified in this subsection shall be as similar in appearance as practicable during each 7-year design interval. Except as provided in s. ss. 341.13 (2r) and 341.14 (1), each registration plate issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c), or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am) during each 7-year design interval shall be of the design established under this subsection. The department may not redesign registration plates for the special groups under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55. until July 1, 2007. Except for registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55., the first design cycle for registration plates issued under ss. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), and (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), and (j) and (2) (a), (b), and (c), and 341.26 (2) and (3) (a) 1. and (am) began July 1, 2000.

AB112, s. 2 Section 2. 341.135 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB112,3,4 341.135 (2) Issuance. (a) 1. Beginning with registrations initially effective on July 1, 2000, upon receipt of a completed application to initially register a vehicle under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), except s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55., or s. 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c) or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am), the department shall issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 new registration plates of the design established under sub. (1).

AB112,3,12 2. Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (3), beginning with registrations initially effective on July 1, 2007, upon receipt of a completed application to initially register a vehicle under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), or s. 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c) or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am), or to renew the registration of a vehicle under those sections for which a registration plate has not been issued during the previous 7 years, the department shall issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 new registration plates of the design established for that 7-year period under sub. (1).

AB112,3,21 (am) Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (3) and (3m), beginning with registrations initially effective on July 1, 2000, upon receipt of a completed application to renew the registration of a vehicle registered under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), except s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 53., 54., or 55., or s. 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c) for which a registration plate of the design established under sub. (1) has not been issued, the department may issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 new registration plates of the design established under sub. (1). This paragraph does not apply to registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 52., 1997 stats. This paragraph does not apply after June 30, 2007.

AB112,3,23 (d) The department may not issue new registration plates under this section for vehicles registered under ss. 341.14 (1) and (1r) and 341.27 (3) (a).

AB112,4,2 (e) The department shall issue new registration plates of the design established under sub. (1) for every vehicle registered under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), (1q), (2), (2m), (6m), or (6r), 341.25 (1) (a), (c), (h), or (j) or (2) (a), (b), or (c), or 341.26 (2) or (3) (a) 1. or (am) after July 1, 2007.

AB112, s. 3 Section 3. 341.14 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB112,4,20 341.14 (1) If any resident of this state who is registering or has registered an automobile, or a motor truck, dual purpose motor home or dual purpose farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, a farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds or a motor home submits a statement once every 4 years, as determined by the department, from the U.S. department of veterans affairs certifying to the department that the resident is, by reason of injuries sustained while in the active U.S. military service, a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk, the department shall procure, issue and deliver to the veteran, plates of a special design in lieu of the plates which ordinarily would be issued for the vehicle, and shall renew the plates. The plates shall have a light blue background except for a white border not to exceed one inch at top and bottom, and blue lettering, except that the word "VET" and the identifying number shown on the plates shall be colored red, white, and blue. The plates shall be so designed as to readily apprise law enforcement officers of the fact that the vehicle is owned by a disabled veteran and is entitled to the parking privileges specified in s. 346.50 (2). No charge in addition to the registration fee shall be made for the issuance or renewal of such plates.

AB112, s. 4 Section 4. Initial applicability.

AB112,4,23 (1) This act first applies to registration plates issued by the department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.

AB112, s. 5 Section 5. Effective date.

AB112,5,2 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

AB112,5,3 (End)