Bill Text: SC H3805 | 2021-2022 | 124th General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Special license plates
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 17-4)
Status: (Passed) 2021-05-13 - Act No. 38 [H3805 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2021-H3805-Comm_Sub.html
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED AND AMENDED
April 20, 2021
H. 3805
Introduced by Reps. B. Cox, Erickson, Davis, Allison, Wooten, McGarry, Hill, Pope, Caskey, McCabe, Oremus, T. Moore, W. Newton, Ligon, Blackwell, R. Williams, Jefferson, Hixon, Taylor, S. Williams and Matthews
S. Printed 4/21/21--S.
Read the first time March 9, 2021.
A BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 147 TO CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ISSUE VARIOUS MILITARY SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; AND TO REPEAL ARTICLES 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 33, 38, 43, 53, 55, 56, 57, 59, 63, 68, 74, 84, 88, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 117, 129, 131, 132, 143, and 144, CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 56, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF "WARTIME DISABLED VETERAN SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES", FREE VEHICULAR REGISTRATION FOR FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR, THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY RESERVES AND NATIONAL GUARD, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS, PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS, MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, AND NORMANDY INVASION AND PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS, THE ISSUANCE OF MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED SERVICES, UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY, SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, KOREAN WAR VETERANS, VIETNAM VETERANS, MARINE CORPS LEAGUE, WORLD WAR II VETERANS, GOLD STAR FAMILY OPERATION DESERT STORM-DESERT SHIELD, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM VETERAN, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM VETERAN, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR, UNITED STATES, NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, DEPARTMENT OF NAVY, PARENTS AND SPOUSES OF ACTIVE-DUTY OVERSEAS VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, COMBAT-RELATED DISABLED VETERAN, RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, PALMETTO CROSS, AND LEGION OF MERIT SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 56 is the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-14710. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of valorous awards for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Medal of Honor- Army
(2) Medal of Honor- Navy
(3) Medal of Honor- Air Force
(4) Distinguished Service Cross- Army
(5) Distinguished Service Cross- Navy
(6) Distinguished Service Cross- Air Force
(7) South Carolina Medal of Valor
(8) Silver Star
(9) Bronze Star (with valor)
(10) Soldier's Medal.
(B) The qualifying active or prior service members must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in subsection (A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in subsection (A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of subsection (A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in subsection (A).
(E) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14720. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of distinguished service awards for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Distinguished Service Medal- Army
(2) Distinguished Service Medal- Navy
(3) Distinguished Service Medal- Air Force
(4) Distinguished Service Medal- Marine Corps
(5) Distinguished Service Medal- Coast Guard
(6) Distinguished Flying Cross
(7) Legion of Merit
(8) Palmetto Cross.
(B) The qualifying active or prior service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in subsection (A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. This special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in subsection (A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of subsection (A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate which is issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in subsection (A).
(E) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14730. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of exemplary service awards for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to the individuals specified by the following license plate categories:
(1) Gold Star Family: available to immediate family members (spouse, parent, children, or siblings)
(2) Gold Star Family Personalized: available to immediate family members (spouse, parent, children, or siblings)
(3) Prisoner of War: available to the award recipient and spouse
(4) Purple Heart: available to the award recipient
(5) Purple Heart Wheelchair: available to the award recipient.
(B) The qualifying registrants are specified above in subsection (A). No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient or qualifying family members. License plates for awards specified in subsection (A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in subsection (A).
(D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of subsection (A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to those areas or during those times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in subsection (A).
(E) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14740. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of a service-connected disability for passenger vehicles and motorcycles registered to qualifying veterans:
(1) Disabled Veteran - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation.
(2) Disabled Veteran (Wheelchair) - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation. The applicant also must qualify for handicapped parking privileges as specified in Section 56-3-1910 and follow the application process prescribed by Section 56-3-1910.
(3) Disabled Female Veteran - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation.
(4) Disabled Female Veteran (Wheelchair) - the applicant must be considered totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as evidenced by official military documentation. The applicant also must qualify for handicapped parking privileges as specified in Section 56-3-1910 and follow the application process prescribed by Section 56-3-1910.
(B) The qualifying service member or veteran must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for medals specified in subsection (A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include a letter indicating the appropriate disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(D) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14750. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of campaign medals for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active service members or prior service members who participated in the following military campaigns:
(1) World War II Veteran
(2) Pearl Harbor Survivor
(3) Normandy Invasion Survivor
(4) Korean War
(5) Vietnam War
(6) Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
(7) Operation Iraqi Freedom
(8) Operation Enduring Freedom.
(B) The qualifying service member or veteran must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for medals specified in subsection (A), except for Korean War license plates pursuant to subsection (A)(4), are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. License plates for medals specified in subsection (A) are not subject to an additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant was a participant in a campaign specified in subsection (A).
(D) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14760. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of meritorious service for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards:
(1) Air Medal
(2) Bronze Star (service).
(B) The qualifying active or prior service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for medals specified in subsection (A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in subsection (A).
(D) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14770. (A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of military service for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members associated with the following military components or designations:
(1) Veteran or veteran wheelchair if the registrant qualifies for handicapped parking pursuant to Section 56-3-1910(H);
(2) Female veteran or female veteran wheelchair if the registrant qualifies for handicapped parking pursuant to Section 56-3-1910(H);
(3) Combat-Related Disabled Veteran - the registrant must have a combat-related disability as evidenced by a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs defining a combat and operations-related disability
(4) Army
(5) Marine Corps
(6) Navy
(7) Air Force
(8) Coast Guard
(9) National Guard- Army
(10) National Guard- Air
(11) National Guard- Retired
(12) US Military Reserve- Army
(13) US Military Reserve- Marine Corps
(14) US Military Reserve- Navy
(15) US Military Reserve- Air Force
(16) US Military Reserve- Coast Guard
(17) US Armed Forces Retired
(18) State Guard.
(B) The qualifying active or prior service member must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for designation specified in subsection (A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 but no additional specialty plate fee. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) The application for a special license plate reflective of a branch of service must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) that the registrant is an active or prior service member of that branch of service pursuant to the requirements in Section 56-1-140(B)(1-3). The application for a special license plate reflective of a veteran's designation also must meet the specifications in Section 56-1-140(B)(1-3).
(D) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14780. (A) The department may issue the following types of special license plates showing support for military-related private organizations for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to members of the general public that will financially benefit the following organizations:
(1) Blue Star Family
(2) Veterans of Foreign Wars
(3) American Legion
(4) Disabled American Veterans
(5) American Veterans
(6) Marine Corps League
(7) Chief Petty Officer.
(B) License plates for the organizations specified in subsection (A) are subject to the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56 and a special motor vehicle license plate fee set by the sponsoring organization. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month they are issued.
(C) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are subject to the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.
Section 56-3-14790. Upon the death of an award recipient, a surviving spouse may apply to the department for a license plate issued under the provisions of Sections 56-3-14710, 56-3-14720, or 56-3-14730(A)(3). The surviving spouse may apply to the department to transfer a license plate previously issued to the award recipient under the provisions of Section 56-3-14710, 56-3-14720, or 56-3-14730(A)(3) pursuant to Section 56-3-210(G). The surviving spouse must turn the plate into the department when the surviving spouse is no longer eligible for surviving spouse military benefits.
Section 56-3-14800. License plates first issued to registrants under previous award criteria are not subject to the revised award documentation requirements that a person must provide the department upon applying for a plate specified in this article.
Section 56-3-14810. Additional military special license plates added to this article must be listed in the most fitting category based on the definition of the award, conflict, service, or private organization."
SECTION 2. Articles 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 33, 38, 43, 53, 55, 56, 63, 68, 74, 84, 88, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 117, 129, 131, 132, 143, and 144, Chapter 3, Title 56 are repealed.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect one year after approval by the Governor.
