Authorizes distinctive license plates for Korean Defense veterans or the spouse of any such veteran

Subdivision 2 of this new section provides that the Korean Defense veteran license plate will be issued upon proof that is satisfactory to the Commissioner that the applicant or the applicant's spouse is a Korean Defense veteran.

Subdivision 3 of this new section defines the term "Korean Defense veteran" to mean a New York State resident who served in the United States armed forces, was awarded the Korean Defense Service Medal, and was honorably discharged from military service.

Subdivision 4 of this new section provides that the annual registration cost for a Korean Defense veteran license plate shall be the same as it is for number plates. Additionally, this subdivision provides that there is an additional one time service charge of ten dollars for this license plate.

Subdivision 5 of this new section provides that the Korean Defense veteran license plate is not required to be issued unless the Commissioner is satisfied that the aggregate amount of annual service charges collected pursuant to subdivision four of this new section will be sufficient to recover the costs of design and manufacturing of these special plates.

Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.

Existing law

Currently, there is no statutory mechanism for the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to authorize issuing Korean Defense veteran license plates.

Justification

More than 40,000 members of the United States armed forces have served on the Korean Peninsula each year since the cease-fire agreement in July 1953 ended the Korean War. Since the end of the Korean War, an estimated 1,200 servicemen and women have died as a direct result of the service in Korea.

These service men and women often go unrecognized in our society. In December 2002, President George W. Bush signed The National Defense Authorization for Fiscal Year 2003, containing the Korea Defense Service Medal Act that instructs the Secretary of Defense to award the Korea Defense Service Medal to all current and former Armed Forces members that served in Korea from July 28, 1954 to a date to be determined.

Currently, members of the United States armed forces are as vital as ever in the Korean Peninsula region. Currently, there are 28,500 troops in the region. Because the transfer of South Korea's wartime control of its military from the United States to Seoul has been postponed indefinitely, these troops will continue to lend support in this region.

This legislation will further recognize these brave service men and women and offer a small token of appreciation to those who served and continue to serve our Country so valiantly.

Legislative history

2014: S.2749A - Passed the Senate 2013: S.2749A - Referred to Transportation 2012: S.636 - Referred to Transportation 2011: S.636 - Referred to Transportation 2010: S.2199 - Referred to Transportation 2009: S.2199 - Referred to Transportation 2008: S.451- Referred to Transportation 2007: S.451 - Reported to Finance 2006: S.8476 - Referred to Rules

Fiscal implications

Because the Commissioner of the Department of Motor vehicles is not required to issue the license plates unless the Commissioner determines that the aggregate annual service fees will cover the cost of designing and manufacturing the license plates, it is not anticipated that this legislation will have any significant fiscal impact on the State.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.