NY State Senate Bill 2023-S4325

Senate Bill S4325

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Establishes distinctive "POW-MIA" license plates and establishes the "POW-MIA awareness fund"

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to transportation
Feb 07, 2023	referred to transportation

2023-S4325 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9190
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add §404-ff, V & T L; add §97-ccc, St Fin L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S6399
2021-2022: S4986, A8567

2023-S4325 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes distinctive "POW-MIA" license plates; establishes the "POW-MIA awareness fund" to fund POW-MIA public education and awareness campaigns and veteran services by Rolling Thunder New York chapters and upon approval by the state director of veterans' services.

2023-S4325 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4325

SPONSOR: LANZA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
distinctive "POW-MIA" license plates; and to amend the state finance
law, in relation to establishing the "POW-MIA awareness fund"

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a distinctive POW-MIA license plates and establishing the
"POW-MIA Awareness Fund".

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new section
404-ff.

Section 2 amends subdivision 2 of section 69-e of the state finance law,
as amended, by chapter 359 of the laws of 2002. Moneys of the POW-MIA
Awareness Fund shall be expended for POW-MIA public education and aware-

ness campaigns by Rolling Thunder Chapter Two New York which must be
approved by the New York State Division of Veterans' Services.

Section 3 states that such distinctive plate established pursuant to
section 4044 be designed, produced and issued by the New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles.

Section 4 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill would establish a distinctive POW-MIA license plate and estab-
lish the POW-MIA Awareness Fund that would be expended only for POW-MIA
public education and awareness campaigns by Rolling Thunders Chapter Two
New York with approval by the New York State Division of Veterans'
Services. The main mission of Roiling Thunder Chapter Two New York and
its membership is to help fight for the Prisoner of War - Missing in
Action issue, which exists until all of America's POW-MIAs return home,
and to help protect future veterans from becoming POW-MIA's and to help
veterans in need from all wars.  By authorizing, the New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles to create a distinctive POW-MIA license
plate it will generate funds to educate the public and youth groups
about the POW-MIA issue and to make sure to future generations that "We
Will Not Forget" about the missing servicemen and servicewomen who have
not returned home from our nations conflicts abroad.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022:S.4986 - Referred to Transportation

2021:S.4986 - Referred to Transportation

2020:S.6399 - Referred to Transportation

2019:S.6399 - Referred to Rules

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2023-S4325 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4325
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
   distinctive "POW-MIA" license plates; and to amend the  state  finance
   law, in relation to establishing the "POW-MIA awareness fund"

   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-ff to read as follows:
   § 404-FF. DISTINCTIVE "POW-MIA" LICENSE PLATES. 1. ANY PERSON RESIDING
 IN  THIS  STATE  SHALL,  UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE "POW-MIA"
 MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTORCYCLE LICENSE PLATE OF A DESIGN  APPROVED  BY  THE
 COMMISSIONER.  APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED IN SUCH
 FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE.
   2. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
 IN  THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE REGU-
 LAR REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED  ONE  OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF
 TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR  SUCH  PLATE.  SUCH  ADDITIONAL
 SERVICE CHARGE SHALL BE DEPOSITED PURSUANT TO SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-
 OO  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  TO THE CREDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
 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 NUMBER PLATES; PROVIDED, HOWEV-
 ER,  THAT  ADDITIONAL  ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGES COLLECTED IN EXCESS OF SIX
 THOUSAND DOLLARS SHALL BE DEPOSITED TO THE CREDIT OF THE POW-MIA  AWARE-
 NESS  FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-SEVEN-CCC OF THE STATE
 FINANCE LAW.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new  section  97-ccc
 to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08558-01-3
 S. 4325                             2

 
   §  97-CCC.  POW-MIA  AWARENESS FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN
 THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND  FINANCE  AND  THE
 STATE  COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "POW-MIA AWARENESS
 FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS COLLECTED PURSUANT TO SECTION
 FOUR  HUNDRED  FOUR-FF  OF  THE  VEHICLE  AND TRAFFIC LAW, AND ALL OTHER
 MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND
 OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
   3. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY FOR POW-MIA PUBLIC EDUCA-
 TION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND VETERAN SERVICES BY ROLLING THUNDER NEW
 YORK CHAPTERS, WHICH ARE APPROVED BY THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  DIVISION  OF
 VETERANS' SERVICES.
   4.  MONIES  SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF
 THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY THE STATE DIRECTOR
 OF VETERANS' SERVICES.
   § 3. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff  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 the 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,  the  department  of  motor  vehicles
 shall be entitled to recover against the bond an amount proportionate to
 such shortfall.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become  a law; provided, however, that section three of
 this act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, the addi-
 tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  necessary  for
 the  implementation  of this act on its effective date are authorized to
 be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.