SB115: Bill Text

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 Section 1 . 341.14 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,2,5 341.14 (5) Upon application by any person awarded the congressional medal of honor or the person's surviving spouse, and upon submission of proper proof thereof, the department shall issue special plates so designed as to indicate such award. No charge whatever shall be made for the issuance of such plates.

SB115,2 Section 2 . 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,4 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. a. A Except as provided in sub. (17) (a), a fee of $15 shall be charged for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under par. (f) 1. to 15., 16. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., 51., or 56. All moneys received under this subd. 9. a. in excess of the initial costs of production of the special group plates under par. (f) 3m., 6m., 9g., 9m., 12g., 12m., 49d., 49h., 49s., and 56. or $37,800, whichever is less, shall be deposited in the veterans trust fund.

SB115,3,9 b. A Except as provided in sub. (17) (a), a fee of $15 shall be charged for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under par. (f) 15m. to 15q. or 62. All moneys received under this subd. 9. b. in excess of the initial costs of production of the special group plate under par. (f) 15m., 2011 stats., or $23,700, whichever is less, shall be deposited in the veterans trust fund.

SB115,3 Section 3 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 20. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,12 341.14 (6r) (f) 20. Persons awarded the distinguished service cross medal or the surviving spouse of any such person.

SB115,4 Section 4 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 21. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,15 341.14 (6r) (f) 21. Persons awarded the air force cross medal or the surviving spouse of any such person.

SB115,5 Section 5 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 22. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,18 341.14 (6r) (f) 22. Persons awarded the navy cross medal or the surviving spouse of any such person.

SB115,6 Section 6 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 23. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,21 341.14 (6r) (f) 23. Persons awarded the distinguished service medal from any branch of the U.S. armed forces or the surviving spouse of any such person.

SB115,7 Section 7 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 32. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,3,24 341.14 (6r) (f) 32. Persons awarded the purple heart medal or the surviving spouse of any such person.

SB115,8 Section 8 . 341.14 (6r) (f) 51. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,4,2 341.14 (6r) (f) 51. Veterans of the attack on Pearl Harbor who were stationed in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, or the surviving spouse of any such veteran.

SB115,9 Section 9 . 341.14 (6w) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,4,13 341.14 (6w) Upon application to register a motorcycle by any person who is a resident of this state and a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, the department shall issue to the person a special plate whose colors and design shall indicate that the vehicle is owned by a veteran of the U.S. armed forces. The department shall specify the design of the special plate. Notwithstanding s. 341.13 (2m), the special plate shall be colored red, white, and blue and be 4 inches by 7 inches in size. An additional fee of $15 shall be charged for the issuance or reissuance of the plate unless the motorcycle owner is an honorably discharged veteran who has no other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), or (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51.

SB115,10 Section 10 . 341.14 (8) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 341.14 (8) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB115,4,25 341.14 (8) (a) (intro.) If a special plate for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or otherwise military in nature has been issued to a person under this section, or if a special plate under sub. (6r) (f) 33. or 33m. has been issued to a person who dies in the line of duty, upon application by the surviving spouse of the person, the department shall permit the surviving spouse to retain the plate. If the plate has been returned to the department or surrendered to another state, the department shall reissue the plate to the surviving spouse if the application for reissuance of the plate is made within 2 years of the plate's return or surrender. The department shall charge an additional fee of $15 to reissue the plate . unless all of the following apply:

SB115,11 Section 11. 341.14 (8) (a) 1. and 2. of the statutes are created to read:

SB115,5,4 341.14 (8) (a) 1. The plate is reissued to the surviving spouse of an honorably discharged veteran who was a member of a special group associated with a branch of the armed services or otherwise military in nature.

SB115,5,7 2. The surviving spouse under subd. 1. has no other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51., or (6w).

SB115,12 Section 12 . 341.14 (17) of the statutes is created to read:

SB115,5,13 341.14 (17) (a) 1. The department may not charge a person the $15 fee under sub. (6r) (b) 9. a. for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under sub. (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51. if the person has no other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), or (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.

SB115,5,19 2. The department may not charge a person the $15 fee under sub. (6r) (b) 9. a. or b. for the issuance or reissuance of a plate for a special group specified under sub. (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 24. to 31., or 49. to 49s. if the person is an honorably discharged veteran and the person has no other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under sub. (5), (6), (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51., or (6w).

SB115,5,21 (b) 1. The department shall annually report to the secretary of administration the sum of the following:

SB115,5,25 a. The number of vehicles issued or reissued special group plates under sub. (6r) (f) 1. to 19., 20. to 32., 49. to 49s., or 51. for which no fee was collected under sub. (6r) (b) 9. because the vehicle owner is an honorably discharged veteran or the special group is one specified under sub. (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.

SB115,6,3 b. The number of vehicles issued or reissued special plates under sub. (6w) for which no fee was collected under sub. (6w) because the motorcycle owner is an honorably discharged veteran.

SB115,6,6 2. The secretary of administration shall annually transfer from the general fund to the veterans trust fund an amount equal to the number reported under subd. 1. multiplied by $15.

SB115,13 Section 13 . 341.25 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB115,6,12 341.25 (1) (intro.) Unless a different fee is prescribed for a particular vehicle by par. (b), sub. (5), or ss. 341.26 to 341.268, the following registration fees shall be paid to the department for the annual registration of each motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, trailer or semitrailer not exempted by s. 341.05 from registration in this state:

SB115,14 Section 14 . 341.25 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

SB115,6,17 341.25 (5) (a) There is no registration fee for a vehicle issued special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51. if the vehicle owner has no other vehicles registered with the department for which a special plate has been issued under s. 341.14 (5), (6), or (6r) (f) 20., 21., 22., 23., 32., or 51.

SB115,6,19 (b) There is no registration fee for a vehicle issued special plates under s. 341.14 (5).

SB115,15 Section 15 . Initial applicability.

SB115,6,22 (1) This act first applies to applications for registration received by the department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.

SB115,16 Section 16 . Effective date.

SB115,7,2 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 9th month beginning after publication.

SB115,7,3 (End)