S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6440
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 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  amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024, 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 article, but shall
 bear distinctive marks to distinguish them  from  number  plates  to  be
 issued to other persons, qualifying under this article. 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 additional vehicle
 used by such severely disabled veteran, provided that such  user  quali-
 fies  as  a  severely  disabled  veteran  in the manner required by this
 section. For purposes of this subdivision, the term  "severely  disabled
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10520-01-5
              

 A. 6440                             2
 
 veteran"  shall mean [a veteran as defined in section eighty-five of the
 civil service law,] ANY MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED  STATES
 WHO  SERVED  AND  WAS  HONORABLY DISCHARGED OR RELEASED UNDER CONDITIONS
 OTHER THAN DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM SUCH SERVICE, and whose disabili-
 ty  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.