S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1761
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 20, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. COLTON, JONES, WILLIAMS, SANTABARBARA, SAYEGH,
   NORRIS, SMULLEN, McDONOUGH, DeSTEFANO,  TAGUE,  MILLER,  RA,  MIKULIN,
   LAVINE,  DICKENS,  STERN, BUTTENSCHON, DAVILA, STECK, SEAWRIGHT, CLARK
   -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of  A.  COOK,  WALSH  --  read  once  and
   referred to the Committee on Transportation

 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
   of special number plates
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1-a of section 404 of the vehicle  and  traffic
 law,  as  amended by chapter 105 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read
 as follows:
   1-a. The commissioner may  issue  special  number  AND/OR  DISTINCTIVE
 LICENSE  plates  to applicants who are members of veterans organizations
 OR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS in  the  same  manner  as  other  number
 plates  are  issued pursuant to this article. Such special number plates
 OR DISTINCTIVE PLATES shall be issued only upon (a) payment of  [a  one-
 time service charge of ten dollars in addition to] the regular registra-
 tion fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article, and (b)
 submission  of  proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the appli-
 cant is presently AN ACTIVE DUTY MEMBER OR  a  member  of  the  veterans
 organization  for  which such plate is requested. NO ADDITIONAL FEES FOR
 CUSTOMIZATION OF SUCH PLATES SHALL BE REQUIRED. Such membership shall be
 verified annually by the applicant. Application for such plates shall be
 made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner with
 respect to the issuance of such plates. Provided, however, that  nothing
 contained  herein shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of section
 four hundred four-d, four hundred  four-e,  four  hundred  four-h,  four
 hundred  four-i,  four hundred four-j, four hundred four-k, four hundred
 four-p, four hundred four-aa, or four hundred four-dd of this article.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05117-01-3
 A. 1761                             2
              

 
   § 2. Subdivision 6 of section 401 of the vehicle and  traffic  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph c-1 to read as follows:
   C-1. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PAYMENT OF
 REGISTRATION  RENEWAL  FEES SHALL NOT APPLY TO A MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRA-
 TION RENEWED BY AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBER OR A QUALIFIED VETERAN. A
 QUALIFIED VETERAN IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVED  ON  ACTIVE  DUTY  IN  THE
 UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD OR THE
 RESERVES THEREOF, OR WHO SERVED IN ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED
 STATES AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, AIR NATIONAL  GUARD,  NEW
 YORK  GUARD OR NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA; WHO WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY
 BY GENERAL OR HONORABLE DISCHARGE.
   § 3. Subdivision 3 of section 404-h of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended by chapter 415 of the laws  of  2001,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   3. 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] NO service charge [of
 ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   § 4. Subdivision 4 of section 404-j of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended by chapter 415 of the laws  of  2001,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   4.  Fee.  A  special  plate  and  registration issued pursuant to this
 section shall be issued upon payment of  the  regular  registration  fee
 prescribed  by section four hundred one of this article provided, howev-
 er, that [an] NO additional [one-time] service charge [of  ten  dollars]
 shall be charged for such plate.
   § 5. Subdivision 3 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended  by  chapter  490  of  the  laws  of 2019, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. 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] NO additional [one-time] service charge [of
 ten  dollars]  shall be charged for such plate. [Provided, however, that
 one year after the effective date of this section funds in the amount of
 five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be available, shall  be
 allocated  from  such funds to the department to offset costs associated
 with the production of such license plates.]
   § 6. Subdivision 3 of section 404-w of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 added by chapter 105 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   3. 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 of this article,
 provided, however, that [an] NO additional [one-time] service charge [of
 ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   § 7. Subdivisions 4 and 5 of section 404-w of the vehicle and  traffic
 law, as added by chapter 493 of the laws of 2005, are amended to read as
 follows:
   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] NO additional [one time] service charge [of
 ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   [5.  Nothing  contained herein shall require the issuance of a special
 number plate under this section unless  the  commissioner  is  satisfied
 A. 1761                             3

 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.]
   §  8.  Subdivision 3 of section 404-aa of the vehicle and traffic law,
 as added by chapter 103 of the laws of  2016,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   3. 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]  NO additional  [one-time]  service  charge
 [of ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   § 9. Subdivision 3 of section 404-d of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended  by  chapter  415  of  the  laws  of 2001, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. 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] NO additional [one-time] service charge [of
 ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   § 10. Subdivision 3 of section 404-k of the vehicle and  traffic  law,
 as  amended  by  chapter  415 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. 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] NO additional [one-time] service charge [of
 ten dollars] shall be charged for such plate.
   § 11. Subdivision 3 of section 404-i of the vehicle and  traffic  law,
 as  amended  by  chapter  486 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. 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  no  service  charge  OR RENEWAL FEES shall be
 charged for such plate.
   § 12. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after  it  shall
 have become a law.