2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1,
TO 2007 ASSEMBLY BILL 518
October 24, 2007 - Offered by Representative Musser.
AB518-ASA1,1,3 1An Act to amend 341.135 (2m) and 341.14 (6r) (d) 1.; and to create 341.14 (6r)
2(d) 3. of the statutes; relating to: the design of special distinguishing
3registration 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 1Section 1. 341.135 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB518-ASA1,2,42 341.135 (2m) Applicability. This section does not apply to special group plates
3under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) 19m. or other special group plates under s. 341.14 (6r) (f) for
4groups associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization.
AB518-ASA1, s. 2 5Section 2. 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB518-ASA1,2,166 341.14 (6r) (d) 1. Subject to subd. subds. 2. and 3. and par. (c), the department
7shall specify the word or words comprising the special group name and the symbol
8to be displayed upon special group plates for a group associated with a branch of the
9armed services or a related organization after consultation with the appropriate
10state or federal representative of that service or organization. Special group plates
11for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related organization
12shall be colored red, white, and blue and, if the plates are issued after the effective
13date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], shall have background coloring
14identical to that specified by the department for such plates issued immediately prior
15to December 4, 2006, and display the name of the applicable authorized special group
16in letters of a size equal to the letters in the word "Wisconsin" displayed on the plate
.
AB518-ASA1, s. 3 17Section 3. 341.14 (6r) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB518-ASA1,3,7
1341.14 (6r) (d) 3. The department may not specify a design for special group
2plates for a group associated with a branch of the armed services or a related
3organization unless the design is approved in writing by the secretary of veterans
4affairs or his or her designee, the chairperson of the council on veterans programs
5or his or her designee, and the chairperson of the board of veterans affairs or his or
6her designee. This subdivision does not apply to special group plates under par. (f)
719m.
AB518-ASA1, s. 4 8Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB518-ASA1,3,199 (1) Notwithstanding section 341.16 (1) and (2) of the statutes, a person issued,
10after December 3, 2006, but prior to the effective date of this subsection, special
11plates under section 341.14 (6r) (f) of the statutes for a group associated with a
12branch of the armed services or a related organization may obtain replacement
13plates under section 341.16 of the statutes, regardless of whether the person's
14current registration plates have been lost or stolen or have become illegible. A person
15who obtains replacement plates under this subsection is otherwise subject to all
16provisions of section 341.16 of the statutes, including any applicable fee, except that,
17if the person requests replacement plates at the time of the person's first registration
18renewal following the effective date of this subsection, the department may not
19charge any fee for the replacement plates.
AB518-ASA1, s. 5 20Section 5. Initial applicability.
AB518-ASA1,3,2221 (1) This act first applies to registration plates issued by the department of
22transportation on the effective date of this subsection.
AB518-ASA1, s. 6 23Section 6. Effective date.
AB518-ASA1,4,2
1(1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 6th month beginning after
2publication.
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