Rear License Plate Only

Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 402 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 109 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:

(a) No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a [set of] number [plates] plate issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of registration conspicuously displayed[, one] on the [front and one on the] rear of such vehicle, [each] except in case of a tractor when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear, securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not higher than forty-eight inches and not lower than twelve inches from the ground[; provided, however, that in any registration year for which only one number plate is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its front, except in case of a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear].

§ 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 404-a of the vehicle and traffic law, subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 191 of the laws of 1991 and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 601 of the laws of 1987, are amended to read as follows:

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD03452-01-7

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2. Registration of vehicles owned by severely disabled persons. The commissioner shall assign to such motor vehicles, including any van or pick-up truck used for transporting persons with disabilities which is not used for commercial purposes, owned by such persons, a distinctive number and issue and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may select to the owner a certification of registration, in such form as the commissioner shall prescribe and two number plates, called disabled person plates. Said disabled person plates shall conform to the requirements of section four hundred one of this [chapter] article, but shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from number plates to be issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. [The commissioner, in his discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one plate as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of disabled person plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate.] Where a severely disabled person 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 person, provided that such user qualifies as a severely disabled person in the manner required by this section.

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 [chapter] article, but shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from number plates to be issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. [The commissioner in his discretion, may 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 qualifies as a severely disabled veteran in the manner required by this section. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "severely disabled veteran" shall mean any member of the armed forces of the United States who served in time of war, as defined in section eighty-five of the civil service law, and whose disability qualifies him as a severely disabled person within the meaning of such term as defined in subdivision four of this section.

§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 404-j of the vehicle and traffic law, as separately amended by chapters 182 and 277 of the laws of 1991 and such section as renumbered by chapter 108 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:

1. Registration of vehicles owned by veterans who survived the Pearl Harbor attack. The commissioner shall assign to motor vehicles, owned by persons who while on military duty serving in the armed forces of the United States survived the Pearl Harbor attack by Japan on December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one or the spouse of such a person, a distinctive number and issue and deliver in such manner as the commis-

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sioner may select to the owner a certification of registration, in such form as the commissioner shall prescribe and two number plates, called Pearl Harbor attack veterans plates. Said plates shall conform to the requirements of section four hundred one of this [chapter] article, but shall bear the distinctive words PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR to distinguish them from number plates to be issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. [The commissioner, in his discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one plate as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate.] If a distinctive plate set is issued to a Pearl Harbor attack veteran pursuant to this section, such a distinctive plate set shall not be issued to the spouse of such veteran.

§ 4. Subdivision 4 of section 415 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 7 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:

4. Number plates. A dealer or other person, qualifying for limited use of motor vehicles, motorcycles or trailers under subdivisions two and three of this section, shall be entitled to receive one or more sets of number plates for display thereon as the commissioner may determine, upon payment of the required fee for each set. Number plates issued to dealers under this section shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from transporter plates to be issued to other persons qualifying under this section. [A set of number plates shall consist of two plates in the case of a motor vehicle and one plate in the case of a motorcycle or trailer; provided, however, that the commissioner, in his discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one number as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of number plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate.]

§ 5. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 131-b to read as follows:

§ 131-b. Set of number plates or two number plates. Set of number plates or two number plates means one number plate pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section four hundred two of this chapter.

§ 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the commissioner of motor vehicles is authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date on or before such date.