S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4743
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 12, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. GALLIVAN -- 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  creating  a
   distinctive plate for active duty military service members
 
   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 PLATES FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS.
 1.  ANY  ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES
 OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL, UPON REQUEST,  BE  ISSUED  A  LICENSE  PLATE
 BEARING  THE  WORDS "U.S. MILITARY".  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 IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION
 SHALL  BE  ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE
 APPLICANT IS AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER. THE BRANCH OF MILI-
 TARY SERVICE SHALL ALSO BE INDICATED ON  THE  LICENSE  PLATE  EITHER  IN
 WORDS OR BY THE INSIGNIA OF THE BRANCH SERVED IN.
   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  ARTICLE
 PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  AN  ADDITIONAL ONE TIME SERVICE CHARGE OF TEN
 DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.
   4. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL REQUIRE THE ISSUANCE  OF  A  SPECIAL
 NUMBER  PLATE  UNDER  THIS  SECTION UNLESS THE COMMISSIONER IS SATISFIED
 THAT THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGES  COLLECTED  PURSUANT
 TO  SUBDIVISION  THREE OF THIS SECTION WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO RECOVER THE
 COSTS OF THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF SUCH SPECIAL PLATES.
   § 2. 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07812-01-5
              

 S. 4743                             2
 
 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 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 service
 charges collected pursuant to this section 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  devel-
 opment  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 in an amount proportionate
 to such shortfall.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 section one of this act shall take effect on the one  hundred  eightieth
 day  after  it shall have become a law. 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.