S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8887
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 26, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. RAJKUMAR -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to registration
   and special plates for severely disabled veterans
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 404-a of the vehicle  and  traffic
 law,  as added by chapter 601 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as
 follows:
   3. Registration of vehicles owned by severely disabled  veterans.  The
 commissioner  shall assign to such motor vehicles, including any vans or
 pick-up trucks used for transporting handicapped veterans which are  not
 used  for  commercial purposes and which are owned by such veterans or a
 not-for-profit corporation serving such veterans, a  distinctive  number
 and  issue  and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may prescribe
 to the owner a certification  of  registration,  in  such  form  as  the
 commissioner  shall  prescribe  and  two  number plates, called disabled
 veteran plates. Said severely disabled veteran plates shall  conform  to
 the  requirements of section four hundred one of this [chapter] ARTICLE,
 but shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from number  plates
 to  be  issued  to  other  persons,  qualifying  under this chapter. The
 commissioner [in his discretion,] may EXERCISE THE DISCRETION TO  issue,
 for  any registration year, only one plate as a set for a motor vehicle,
 in which event a set of severely disabled veteran  plates  for  a  motor
 vehicle  shall  consist  of one plate. Where a severely disabled veteran
 owns more than one vehicle and such vehicle or vehicles is or  are  used
 by  severely  disabled members of the owner's family who reside with the
 owner, the commissioner shall issue one set of  plates  for  each  addi-
 tional  vehicle  used  by  such severely disabled veteran, provided that
 such user qualifies  as  a  severely  disabled  veteran  in  the  manner
 required  by  this  section.  For purposes of this subdivision, the term
 "severely disabled veteran" shall mean any member of the armed forces of
 the United States who served [in time of  war,  as  defined  in  section
 eighty-five  of  the  civil service law] AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED OR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14058-02-4
 A. 8887                             2
 
 RELEASED UNDER CONDITIONS OTHER THAN DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE, and
 whose disability qualifies [him] SUCH  PERSON  as  a  severely  disabled
 person within the meaning of such term as defined in subdivision four of
 this  section;  OR  WHO  WAS RATED SIXTY PERCENT OR MORE DISABLED BY THE
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
   § 2. Section 404-a of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
   6-A. FEE EXEMPTIONS FOR SEVERELY  DISABLED  VETERANS.  NOTWITHSTANDING
 SUBDIVISION  SIX OF THIS SECTION AND THE FEES PRESCRIBED OR PERMITTED BY
 SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE, THERE SHALL BE NO  CHARGE  FOR
 THE  ISSUANCE  OF  A NUMBER PLATE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION TO A SEVERELY
 DISABLED VETERAN, NOR SHALL  THERE  BE  IMPOSED  AN  ADDITIONAL  SERVICE
 CHARGE  FOR  THE  ISSUANCE OF SUCH PLATE TO A SEVERELY DISABLED VETERAN.
 FURTHERMORE, UPON THE ISSUANCE OF A DISTINCTIVE PLATE PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION, SUCH SEVERELY DISABLED VETERAN SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE PAYMENT
 OF  ANY  FEES  RELATING  TO  THE  REGISTRATION  OR  RENEWAL  THEREOF  AS
 PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.