S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2334
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HAWLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Transportation
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing
   distinctive license plates for gold star family members and  eliminat-
   ing  the  registration  fee  for gold star parent and gold star family
   member distinctive license plates

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 404-i of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by
 chapter  277  of  the  laws of 1991 and renumbered by chapter 108 of the
 laws of 1994, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 732  of  the  laws  of
 2004 and subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 486 of the laws of 1996, is
 amended to read as follows:
   §  404-i.  Distinctive plates for gold star [mothers] PARENTS AND GOLD
 STAR FAMILIES.  1. Any gold star [mother] PARENT or the spouse of a gold
 star [mother]  PARENT, OR THE WIDOW  OR  WIDOWER  OF  A  FALLEN  SERVICE
 MEMBER,  OR  ANY CHILD, STEP-CHILD, BROTHER, SISTER, STEP-BROTHER, STEP-
 SISTER, OR GRANDPARENT OF A FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER residing in this state
 shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bearing the  words  "gold
 star  [mother]  PARENT"  OR  "GOLD  STAR  FAMILY",  RESPECTIVELY.   If a
 distinctive plate is issued to a gold star [mother] PARENT OR GOLD  STAR
 FAMILY  MEMBER  pursuant  to this section, additional distinctive plates
 may be issued for every vehicle registered in the name of the gold  star
 [mother]  PARENT  recipient residing in this state or the spouse of such
 gold star [mother] PARENT, OR THE GOLD STAR FAMILY  MEMBER.  Application
 for said license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form
 and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe.
   2. The distinctive plate authorized herein shall be issued upon proof,
 satisfactory  to  the  commissioner, that the applicant or the spouse of
 the applicant is a gold star [mother] PARENT OR THE  SPOUSE  OF  A  GOLD
 STAR  PARENT, OR THE WIDOW OR WIDOWER OF A FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER, OR ANY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01813-01-5
              

 A. 2334                             2
 
 CHILD, STEP-CHILD, BROTHER, SISTER, STEP-BROTHER, STEP-SISTER, OR GRAND-
 PARENT OF A FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER.
   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  arti-
 cle],  provided,  however,  that  no  REGISTRATION FEE OR service charge
 shall be charged for such plate.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, 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 date.