Amendment ASA1-AB518

2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO 2007 ASSEMBLY BILL 518

October 24, 2007 - Offered by Representative Musser.

AB518-ASA1,1,3 An Act to amend 341.135 (2m) and 341.14 (6r) (d) 1.; and to create 341.14 (6r) (d) 3. of the statutes; relating to: the design of special distinguishing registration plates for groups that are military in nature.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, members of authorized special groups may obtain special distinguishing registration plates for automobiles and certain other vehicles that are owned or leased by members of these groups. Subject to certain limitations, the Department of Transportation (DOT) specifies the design for special plates. Special plates for groups associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization must be colored red, white, and blue.

Current law also requires DOT to establish new designs for most vehicle registration plates, including most special plates, every ten years and to issue the new plates on a rolling basis as vehicle registrations are renewed by the vehicle owners.

This substitute amendment requires special plates for groups associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization (military special plates) to have background coloring identical to that specified by DOT for such plates issued immediately prior to December 4, 2006 (red at the top of the plate, shaded into white in the middle of the plate, and shaded into blue at the bottom of the plate) and to display the name of the special group in letters of a size equal to the letters in the word "Wisconsin" on the plates. The substitute amendment also prohibits DOT from specifying a design for military special plates unless the design is approved in writing by the secretary of veterans affairs or his or her designee, the chairperson of the Council on Veterans Programs or his or her designee, and the chairperson of the Board of Veterans Affairs or his or her designee. The substitute amendment also exempts these military special plates from the ten-year redesign cycle.

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:

AB518-ASA1, s. 1 Section 1. 341.135 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB518-ASA1,2,4 341.135 (2m) Applicability. This section does not apply to special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 19m. or other special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) for groups associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization.

AB518-ASA1, s. 2 Section 2. 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB518-ASA1,2,16 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. Subject to subd. subds. 2. and 3. and par. (c), the department shall specify the word or words comprising the special group name and the symbol to be displayed upon special group plates for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization after consultation with the appropriate state or federal representative of that service or organization. Special group plates for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization shall be colored red, white, and blue and, if the plates are issued after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], shall have background coloring identical to that specified by the department for such plates issued immediately prior to December 4, 2006, and display the name of the applicable authorized special group in letters of a size equal to the letters in the word "Wisconsin" displayed on the plate.

AB518-ASA1, s. 3 Section 3. 341.14 (6r) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

AB518-ASA1,3,7 341.14 (6r) (d) 3. The department may not specify a design for special group plates for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization unless the design is approved in writing by the secretary of veterans affairs or his or her designee, the chairperson of the council on veterans programs or his or her designee, and the chairperson of the board of veterans affairs or his or her designee. This subdivision does not apply to special group plates under par. (f) 19m.

AB518-ASA1, s. 4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB518-ASA1,3,19 (1) Notwithstanding section 341.16 (1) and (2) of the statutes, a person issued, after December 3, 2006, but prior to the effective date of this subsection, special plates under section 341.14 (6r) (f) of the statutes for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization may obtain replacement plates under section 341.16 of the statutes, regardless of whether the person's current registration plates have been lost or stolen or have become illegible. A person who obtains replacement plates under this subsection is otherwise subject to all provisions of section 341.16 of the statutes, including any applicable fee, except that, if the person requests replacement plates at the time of the person's first registration renewal following the effective date of this subsection, the department may not charge any fee for the replacement plates.

AB518-ASA1, s. 5 Section 5. Initial applicability.

AB518-ASA1,3,22 (1) This act first applies to registration plates issued by the department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.

AB518-ASA1, s. 6 Section 6. Effective date.

AB518-ASA1,4,2 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 6th month beginning after publication.

AB518-ASA1,4,3 (End)