§ 14-36h — Contents and features of operator's license and identity card. Issuance to persons on active duty. Veteran status indicated.

Connecticut § 14-36h

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

Text

(a) Each motor vehicle operator's license issued by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in accordance with section 14-36 and each identity card issued by said commissioner in accordance with section 1-1h shall contain the following: (1) The person's full legal name; (2) the person's date of birth; (3) the person's gender; (4) the person's height and eye color; (5) the person's assigned operator's license or identity card number; (6) the person's address of principal residence in this state; (7) the person's signature; (8) the person's photograph or digital image; and (9) if applicable, the person's status as a veteran, as provided in subsections (e) and (f) of this section. (b) If any person does not reside in any state, territory or possession of the United States because such person is on active military duty with the United States Armed Forces, and such person's home state of record is Connecticut, as reflected in the records of the United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Homeland Security or any federal department under which the United States Coast Guard operates, such person may obtain a Connecticut operator's license or identity card, provided such person: (1) Does not have an operator's license or identity card issued by another state, territory or possession of the United States, or surrenders any such license or identity card; (2) has a current APO or FPO mailing address; (3) designates such person's home address as 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161; and (4) meets all other requirements for obtaining an operator's license or identity card in this state. (c) The commissioner shall provide that each such license or identity card document contains physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting or duplication of the document. (d) Each such document shall also contain one or more machine-readable technology feature or component, including, but not limited to, a bar code or magnetic strip. (e) Any person who is a veteran may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to have such person's status as a veteran contained on such person's motor vehicle operator's license or identity card. Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify whether such person is a veteran and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall indicate such person's status as a veteran on any motor vehicle operator's license or identity card issued to such person upon original issuance or renewal of a motor vehicle operator's license or identity card or upon issuance of a duplicate motor vehicle operator's license or identity card. (f) (1) 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, 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 or in a reserve component of the armed forces, respectively, on such person's motor vehicle operator's license or identity card. Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request and the documents required under subdivision (2) or (3), as applicable, of this subsection, verify whether such person was such a member or is such an eligible former reservist, as applicable, and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall indicate such person's status as a veteran on any motor vehicle operator's license or identity card issued to such person upon original issuance or renewal of a motor vehicle operator's license or identity card or upon issuance of a duplicate motor vehicle operator's license or identity card. (2) Any such person who was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units shall submit to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to the request under subdivision (1) of this subsection, (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 affidavit. (3) (A) Any such person who is an eligible former reservist shall submit to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to the request under subdivision (1) of this subsection, all available official documentation of such person's service in a reserve component of the armed forces and discharge or release therefrom. (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, neither the listing of a person as a veteran by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs nor the indication of such person's status as a veteran on any motor vehicle operator's license or identity card by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall constitute proof of such person's eligibility for any other benefit available to veterans. (g) As used in this section: (1) “Full legal name” means the most complete version of the name that appears on a person's certificate of birth, official passport or other document or documents accepted by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to verify the person's identity, unless the person presents a marriage license or certificate, a certificate of civil union, a divorce decree or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction pertaining to a permanent change of the person's name; (2) “veteran” has the same meaning as provided in section 27-103 , or any former member of the armed forces who is entitled to retirement pay under 10 USC Chapter 1223, as amended from time to time, or, but for age, would be so entitled; (3) “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 (4) “armed forces” and “qualifying condition” have the same meanings as provided in section 27-103 .

Legislative History

(P.A. 07-167, S. 18; P.A. 11-68, S. 1; P.A. 11-213, S. 15; P.A. 13-271, S. 12; P.A. 16-167, S. 19; P.A. 17-83, S. 2; P.A. 18-47, S. 16; P.A. 21-51, S. 2; 21-79, S. 23; P.A. 22-34, S. 26; P.A. 24-119, S. 2.) History: P.A. 11-68 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (9) re status as a veteran, added new Subsec. (d) re status as veteran contained on motor vehicle operator's license or identity card, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (e) and amended same by adding definition of “veteran” and making a technical change, effective January 1, 2013; P.A. 11-213 added new Subsec. (b) re issuance of license or identity card to persons on active military duty and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (c), (d) and (e); (Revisor's note: In 2013, the Revisors redesignated the version of Subsec. (d) added by P.A. 11-68 as Subsec. (e), redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f) and made conforming changes editorially in order to reconcile the amendments made by P.A. 11-68 with the amendments made by P.A. 11-213); P.A. 13-271 amended Subsec. (a)(8) to delete “color” re photograph, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 16-167 amended Subsec. (e) to replace “Department of Veterans' Affairs” with “Department of Veterans Affairs”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-83 amended Subsec. (f)(2) to redefine “veteran”; P.A. 18-47 amended Subsec. (f)(2) to designate existing provision re person honorably discharged from or released under honorable conditions from active service in armed forces as Subpara. (A), designate existing provision re former member of armed forces entitled to retirement pay as Subpara. (B), and add Subpara. (C) re person with qualifying condition and discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable; P.A. 21-51 added new Subsec. (f) re members of Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, redesignated existing Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (g), and made a conforming change; P.A. 21-79 amended Subsec. (f)(2), codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (g)(2), to redefine “veteran”; P.A. 22-34 made technical changes in Subsec. (b); P.A. 24-119 amended Subsec. (f)(1) by adding references to person who is eligible former reservist, replacing “based on such service” with “based on such person's service during the Vietnam War or in a reserve component of the armed forces, respectively” and adding reference to Subsec. (f)(3), added Subsec. (f)(3)(A) re eligible former reservist's submission of documentation of service in armed forces reserve component and discharge or release therefrom, added Subsec. (f)(3)(B) to provide that neither listing as veteran nor indication of veteran status on operator's license or identity card constitutes proof of eligibility for other veterans benefits, amended Subsec. (g) by adding Subdiv. (3) to define “eligible former reservist” and adding Subdiv. (4) to define “armed forces” and “qualifying condition” and made technical changes.