§ 14-20b — Number plates for veterans, members of the armed forces, members of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units and eligible former reservists. Return and nonrenewal of number plates.

Connecticut § 14-20b

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 14: Motor Vehicles. Use of the Highway By Vehicles. Gasoline
• Ch. 246: Motor Vehicles

Text

(a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, at the request of any veteran or member of the armed forces or the surviving spouse of such veteran or member, shall register any motor vehicle owned or leased for a period of at least one year by such person and shall issue a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for each such motor vehicle, including a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for any motor vehicle used exclusively for farming purposes by any such veteran or member of the armed forces, or the surviving spouse of such veteran or member, who is engaged in agricultural production as a trade or business. The plates shall expire and be renewed as provided in section 14-22. The commissioner shall charge a fee for such plates, which fee shall cover the entire cost of making such plates and shall be in addition to the fee for registration of such motor vehicle. The commissioner shall charge a fee of fifteen dollars to replace such plates that become mutilated or illegible. Any such member of the armed forces who is dishonorably discharged shall return such plates to the commissioner not later than thirty days after such discharge. The commissioner shall not renew such plates for any motor vehicle owned or leased by any such member of the armed forces who is dishonorably discharged. (b) (1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, at the request of any person who was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, which units served in the United States secret war in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War, or any person who is an eligible former reservist, or the surviving spouse of any such person, and after verification from the Department of Veterans Affairs as provided under subdivision (2) or (3), as applicable, of this subsection, shall register any motor vehicle owned or leased for a period of at least one year by such person and shall issue a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for each such motor vehicle, including a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for any motor vehicle used exclusively for farming purposes by any such person, or the surviving spouse of such person, who is engaged in agricultural production as a trade or business. The plates shall expire and be renewed as provided in section 14-22 . The commissioner shall charge a fee for such plates, which fee shall cover the entire cost of making such plates and shall be in addition to the fee for registration of such motor vehicle. (2) Any person who was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, or the surviving spouse of such person, may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be listed as a veteran, based on such person's service during the Vietnam War, for the purpose of obtaining a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates under subdivision (1) of this subsection. Such person, or the surviving spouse of such person, shall provide to said department (A) an affidavit stating (i) when such person served, (ii) where such person served, (iii) the unit in which such person served, and (iv) the capacity in which such person served; (B) any available corroborating witness affidavits; (C) any available official documentation of service; and (D) any other documents supporting such person's or such surviving spouse's affidavit. Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify whether such person was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification. (3) (A) Any person who is an eligible former reservist, or the surviving spouse of such person, may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be listed as a veteran, based on such person's service in a reserve component of the armed forces, for the purpose of obtaining a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates under subdivision (1) of this subsection. Such person, or the surviving spouse of such person, shall provide to said department all available official documentation of such service. Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify such person's service and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification. (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection or subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, neither the issuance of such registration and number plates to a person by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles nor the listing of such person as a veteran by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs shall constitute proof of such person's eligibility for any other benefit available to veterans. (c) As used in this section, “eligible former reservist” means any person honorably discharged from, released under honorable conditions from or released with an other than honorable discharge based on a qualifying condition from, the United States Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard; and “veteran”, “armed forces” and “qualifying condition” have the same meanings as provided in section 27-103 .

Legislative History

(P.A. 97-236, S. 1; P.A. 98-182, S. 7, 22; P.A. 11-56, S. 1; P.A. 17-148, S. 1; P.A. 18-47, S. 15; P.A. 21-51, S. 1; 21-79, S. 21; 21-106, S. 40; P.A. 24-119, S. 1.) History: P.A. 98-182 expanded the category of vehicles eligible for number plates for veterans from passenger motor vehicles to all motor vehicles, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 11-56 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to add references to member of the armed forces and added Subsec. (b) re return and nonrenewal of number plates for dishonorably discharged member of armed forces, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 17-148 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re motor vehicles used for farming purposes and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 18-47 amended Subsec. (a) to define “member of the armed forces” and “veteran”; P.A. 21-51 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), added new Subsec. (b) re members of Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, and redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c); P.A. 21-79 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “veteran” and make a technical change; P.A. 21-106 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re $15 replacement fee for mutilated or illegible plates, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 24-119 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re definitions of “veteran” and “armed forces” and adding provisions re return and nonrenewal of plates in case of dishonorably discharged armed forces member, amended Subsec. (b)(1) by adding reference to person who is eligible former reservist and adding reference to Subsec. (b)(3), amended Subsec. (b)(2) by replacing “based on such service” with “based on such person's service during the Vietnam War”, added Subsec. (b)(3)(A) re eligible former reservist's or surviving spouse's request to be listed as veteran for purposes of special certificate of registration and set of number plates for motor vehicle, added Subsec. (b)(3)(B) to provide that neither listing as veteran nor issuance of registration and plates under constitutes proof of eligibility for other veterans benefits, amended Subsec. (c) by deleting provision re return and nonrenewal of plates in case of dishonorably discharged armed forces member and defining “eligible former reservist”, “veteran”, “armed forces” and “qualifying condition” and made technical changes.