S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 1951--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 15, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. NOZZOLIO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation  --  recom-
  mitted  to  the  Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate
  Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
  of distinctive plates for veterans of the Iraq conflict

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
section 404-x to read as follows:
  S 404-X. DISTINCTIVE PLATES FOR VETERANS OF THE IRAQ CONFLICT.  1. ANY
IRAQ  CONFLICT  VETERAN  OR  THE  SPOUSE OF ANY SUCH VETERAN SHALL, UPON
REQUEST, BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE  BEARING  THE  WORDS  "IRAQ  CONFLICT
VETERAN". IF A DISTINCTIVE PLATE IS ISSUED TO A VETERAN PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION,  SUCH  A DISTINCTIVE PLATE SHALL NOT BE ISSUED TO THE SPOUSE OF
SUCH VETERAN. APPLICATION FOR SUCH LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED WITH THE
COMMISSIONER  IN  SUCH  FORM  AND  DETAIL  AS  THE  COMMISSIONER   SHALL
PRESCRIBE.
  2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATE AUTHORIZED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION
SHALL  BE  ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE
APPLICANT OR THE SPOUSE OF THE APPLICANT IS AN IRAQ CONFLICT VETERAN.
  3. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION,  "IRAQ  CONFLICT  VETERAN"  SHALL
MEAN  A  PERSON WHO IS A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, WHO SERVED IN THE ARMED
FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE HOSTILITIES  THAT  OCCURRED  IN  IRAQ
COMMENCING  ON THE NINETEENTH DAY OF MARCH, TWO THOUSAND THREE, AND WERE
HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE MILITARY.
  4. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON PAYMENT  OF  THE  REGULAR
REGISTRATION  FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ONE TIME  SERVICE  CHARGE  OF  TEN

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07264-02-6
              

S. 1951--A                          2

DOLLARS  SHALL  BE  CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.   SUCH ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE
SHALL BE DEPOSITED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF  SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED
FOUR-OO  OF  THIS ARTICLE TO THE CREDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHI-
CLES   DISTINCTIVE   PLATE   DEVELOPMENT  FUND  ESTABLISHED  BY  SECTION
NINETY-FIVE-G OF THE STATE  FINANCE  LAW  AND  SHALL  BE  USED  FOR  THE
PRODUCTION,  DESIGN,  ADVERTISING  AND  MARKETING OF DISTINCTIVE LICENSE
PLATES PURSUANT TO SUCH SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G.
  5. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL REQUIRE THE ISSUANCE  OF  A  SPECIAL
NUMBER  PLATE  UNDER  THIS  SECTION UNLESS THE COMMISSIONER IS SATISFIED
THAT THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGES  COLLECTED  PURSUANT
TO  SUBDIVISION  FOUR  OF THIS SECTION WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO RECOVER THE
COSTS OF THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF SUCH SPECIAL PLATES.
  S 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section  404-x  of
the  vehicle  and  traffic law as added by section one of this act shall
only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to  the  depart-
ment  of  motor  vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of six thousand
dollars, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized  by  the
department  of  financial  services  to transact business in this state.
Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have
received prior to plate design, production and  issuance  at  least  two
hundred  orders  for such distinctive plate together with the additional
annual service charge applicable to each  such  order,  which  shall  be
non-refundable,  no such surety bond shall be required. All such service
charges shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section  404-oo
of  the vehicle and traffic law to the credit of the department of motor
vehicles distinctive plate development fund established by section  95-g
of  the  state finance law and shall be used for the design, production,
advertising and distribution of distinctive license plates in accordance
with such section 95-g.
  2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon  which
distinctive  plates  in  the  series  are  first  available for sale two
hundred or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered  pursuant
to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
such  plates are sold by such time, such department shall be entitled to
recover against the bond in an amount proportionate to such shortfall.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
section  one  of this act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth
day after it shall have become a law; provided  further,  however,  that
effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive  date  is  authorized  and  directed to be made and completed on or
before such effective date.