Amendment ASA1-AB202

Under current law, any group or organization may apply to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for designation as an authorized special group. If the application is approved, members of the authorized special group may obtain special distinguishing registration plates for certain vehicles, including automobiles and motor homes, that are owned or leased by special group members. A fee, in addition to the regular registration fee for the particular kind of vehicle, is assessed for the issuance or reissuance of most special plates.

Before October 2, 1998, authorized special groups whose members may obtain special distinguishing registration plates were specifically enumerated in state law. Current law provides that specific enumeration in state law of authorized special groups is limited to those special groups enumerated before October 2, 1998.

This bill creates exceptions to the general prohibition against specifically enumerating in state law special groups whose members may apply for special group registration plates. The bill establishes the following authorized groups that are military in nature: veterans of the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War, and Noble Eagle; students and alumni of the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; and members of the Civil Air Patrol. In addition to the regular vehicle registration fee, special group members are required to pay a $15 fee for issuance or reissuance of the special plates.

Also under current law, a person who is affiliated with a branch of the armed services or has another military affiliation may receive a specialized vehicle registration plate that reflects the person's affiliation. Upon the person's death, his or her surviving spouse may request DOT to permit the spouse to retain the plate.

Under this bill, the surviving spouse may also request that the plate be personalized, modify any personalization on the plate, or request that a personalized plate be replaced with a regular plate. As under current law for other personalized registration plates, a surviving spouse pays a $15 fee for personalizing plates or modifying the existing personalization, in addition to the costs of registering his or her vehicle.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB202-ASA1, s. 1 Section 1. 341.14 (6r) (b) 2. of the statutes, as affected by 2005 Wisconsin Act 25, is amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,2,7 341.14 (6r) (b) 2. An additional fee of $15 shall be charged for the issuance or reissuance of the plates for special groups specified under par. (f), except that no additional fee may be charged under this subdivision for the issuance or reissuance of the plates for special groups specified under par. (f) 1. to 32., 49., 49m. to 49s., 51., or 56.

AB202-ASA1, s. 2 Section 2. 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. of the statutes, as created by 2005 Wisconsin Act 25, is amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,3,3 341.14 (6r) (b) 9. 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 19., 20. to 32., 49., 49m. to 49s., 51., or 56. All moneys received under this subdivision in excess of the initial costs of production of the special group plate under par. (f) 56. or $27,600, whichever is less, shall be deposited in the veterans trust fund.

AB202-ASA1, s. 3 Section 3. 341.14 (6r) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,3,19 341.14 (6r) (c) Special group plates shall display the word "Wisconsin", the name of the applicable authorized special group, a symbol representing the special group, not exceeding one position, and identifying letters or numbers or both, not exceeding 6 positions and not less than one position. The department shall specify the design for special group plates, but the department shall consult the president of the University of Wisconsin System before specifying the word or symbol used to identify the special groups under par. (f) 35. to 47., the secretary of natural resources before specifying the word or symbol used to identify for the special group under par. (f) 50. and, the chief executive officer of the professional football team and an authorized representative of the league of professional football teams described in s. 229.823 to which that team belongs before specifying the design for the applicable special group plate under par. (f) 55., and the department of veterans affairs before specifying the design for the special group plates under par. (f) 49d., 49h., and 49s. Special group plates under par. (f) 50. shall be as similar as possible to regular registration plates in color and design.

AB202-ASA1, s. 4 Section 4. 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. of the statutes, as affected by 2005 Wisconsin Act 25, is amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,3 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. Subject to subd. 2. 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.

AB202-ASA1, s. 5 Section 5. 341.14 (6r) (f) 3m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,5 341.14 (6r) (f) 3m. Students and alumni of the U.S. Military Academy.

AB202-ASA1, s. 6 Section 6. 341.14 (6r) (f) 6m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,7 341.14 (6r) (f) 6m. Students and alumni of the U.S. Naval Academy.

AB202-ASA1, s. 7 Section 7. 341.14 (6r) (f) 9g. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,9 341.14 (6r) (f) 9g. Students and alumni of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

AB202-ASA1, s. 8 Section 8. 341.14 (6r) (f) 9m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,11 341.14 (6r) (f) 9m. Members of the Civil Air Patrol.

AB202-ASA1, s. 9 Section 9. 341.14 (6r) (f) 12g. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,13 341.14 (6r) (f) 12g. Students and alumni of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

AB202-ASA1, s. 10 Section 10. 341.14 (6r) (f) 12m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,16 341.14 (6r) (f) 12m. Students and alumni of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

AB202-ASA1, s. 11 Section 11. 341.14 (6r) (f) 49d. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,18 341.14 (6r) (f) 49d. Iraq War veterans.

AB202-ASA1, s. 12 Section 12. 341.14 (6r) (f) 49h. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,20 341.14 (6r) (f) 49h. Afghanistan War veterans.

AB202-ASA1, s. 13 Section 13. 341.14 (6r) (f) 49s. of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,4,22 341.14 (6r) (f) 49s. Noble Eagle veterans.

AB202-ASA1, s. 14 Section 14. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 7. of the statutes, as affected by 2005 Wisconsin Act 25, Section 2247r, is amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,5,6 341.14 (6r) (fm) 7. After October 1, 1998, additional authorized special groups may only be special groups designated by the department under this paragraph. The authorized special groups enumerated in par. (f) shall be limited solely to those special groups specified under par. (f) on October 1, 1998. This subdivision does not apply to the special groups specified under par. (f) 3m., 6m., 9g., 9m., 12g., 12m., 49d., 49h., 49s., 54., 55., and 56.

AB202-ASA1, s. 15 Section 15. 341.14 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 341.14 (8) (a) and amended to read:

AB202-ASA1,5,16 341.14 (8) (a) 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, upon application by the surviving spouse of the person, the department may permit the surviving spouse to retain the plate. If the plate has been returned to the department or surrendered to another state, the department may reissue the plate to the surviving spouse. The department shall charge an additional fee of $15 to reissue the plate. This subsection does not apply to a special plate issued under s. 341.14 (1) or (1r).

AB202-ASA1, s. 16 Section 16. 341.14 (8) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,5,22 341.14 (8) (b) For a plate retained under this subsection, upon request of the surviving spouse, the department may change the plate from a personalized plate to a standard plate. Upon request of a surviving spouse and upon payment of the additional fee under s. 341.145 (3), the department may personalize the plate or modify any existing personalization to the plate.

AB202-ASA1, s. 17 Section 17. 341.14 (8) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB202-ASA1,5,25 341.14 (8) (c) This subsection does not apply to a special plate issued under s. 341.14 (1) or (1r).

AB202-ASA1, s. 18 Section 18. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB202-ASA1,6,6 (1) Prior to consultation with the department of transportation as required under section 341.14 (6r) (c) of the statutes, as affected by this act, the department of veterans affairs shall solicit input from the state's veterans organizations regarding the design for the special group plates under section 341.14 (6r) (f) 49d., 49h., and 49s. of the statutes, as created by this act.

AB202-ASA1,6,14 (2) Notwithstanding section 16.42 (1) (e) of the statutes, if this subsection takes effect in fiscal year 2006-07, in submitting information under section 16.42 of the statutes for purposes of the 2007-09 biennial budget bill, the department of transportation shall submit a dollar amount for the appropriation under section 20.395 (5) (cq) of the statutes that is $18,200 less than the total amount appropriated under section 20.395 (5) (cq) of the statutes for the 2006-07 fiscal year, before submitting any information relating to any increase or decrease in the dollar amount for that appropriation for the 2007-09 fiscal biennium.

AB202-ASA1, s. 19 Section 19. Appropriation changes.

AB202-ASA1,6,20 (1) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of transportation under section 20.395 (5) (cq) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2005, the dollar amount is increased by $18,200 for the fiscal year in which this subsection takes effect to increase funding for special registration plates associated with the addition of special group plates under this act.

AB202-ASA1, s. 20 Section 20. Effective date.

AB202-ASA1,6,23 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

AB202-ASA1,6,24 (End)