S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5869
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 20, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- 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  authorizing
   the issuance of "Blue Star Mother" and "Blue Star Family"  distinctive
   license  plates;  and  to  amend the state finance law, in relation to
   establishing the "blue star mothers and families support 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  "BLUE  STAR  MOTHER"  AND  "BLUE  STAR  FAMILY"
 LICENSE  PLATES.  1.  ANY  PERSON  RESIDING  IN  THIS STATE WHOSE CHILD,
 SPOUSE, PARENT, SIBLING, OR GRANDCHILD IS ACTIVELY SERVING IN THE  ARMED
 FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL, UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE
 LICENSE  PLATE  BEARING THE WORDS "BLUE STAR MOTHER" OR "BLUE STAR FAMI-
 LY", RESPECTIVELY.  APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATE  SHALL  BE  FILED
 WITH THE FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE.
   2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATES AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 ISSUED  UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE APPLICANT
 IS THE PARENT OF AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER, OR  THE  SPOUSE,  CHILD,
 SIBLING,  OR  GRANDPARENT  OF AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER, IN THE SAME
 MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE REGULAR  REGISTRA-
 TION  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.
   3.  EACH  TWENTY-FIVE  DOLLARS  RECEIVED  AS THE ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE
 UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEPOSITED TO THE CREDIT OF  THE  "BLUE  STAR
 MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT FUND" ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION NINE-
 TY-FIVE-L OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW AND SHALL BE USED FOR BLUE STAR MOTH-
 ERS  AND  BLUE STAR FAMILIES ORGANIZATIONS AS DETERMINED BY THE NEW YORK
 STATE DIVISION OF VETERANS'  AFFAIRS'  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  SERVICES
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06866-01-3
              

 S. 5869                             2
 
 PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  SECTION NINETY-FIVE-L OF THE STATE
 FINANCE LAW.
   §  2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 95-l to
 read as follows:
   § 95-L. "BLUE STAR MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT  FUND".  1.  THERE  IS
 HEREBY  ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
 AND FINANCE AND THE COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE  BLUE
 STAR MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT FUND.
   2.  SUCH  FUND  SHALL  CONSIST  OF  ALL  REVENUES RECEIVED 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.  NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION
 SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS,  OR  BEQUESTS  FOR
 THE  PURPOSES  OF  THE  FUND, AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION, AND DEPOSITING
 THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY BY  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE
 DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS'  DIVISION OF VETERANS' SERVICES. THESE
 FUNDS SHALL BE USED FOR PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT  PARENTS
 AND  FAMILY  MEMBERS  OF  ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
 UNITED STATES.
   § 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 $6,000, which
 shall be executed by a surety company authorized by  the  department  of
 financial  services to transact business in this state. Provided, howev-
 er, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have received prior
 to the plate design, production and issuance at  least  200  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-l  of  the
 state  finance  law and shall be used for the design, production, adver-
 tising and distribution of distinctive license plates in accordance with
 such section 95-l.
   2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon  which
 distinctive  plates  in  the series are first available for sale, 200 or
 more sets of such plates are sold, a bond  delivered  pursuant  to  this
 section shall be discontinued. If fewer than 200 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.  Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.