What's happening
This bill creates new distinctive license plates for members, veterans, and supporters of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division in New York.
Why it matters
Recognizes and honors service. By creating distinct plates for current members, veterans, and supporters, the bill publicly acknowledges the contributions of those connected to the 10th Mountain Division, helping foster community pride and visibility for military service.
Supports educational opportunities. A portion of the annual service charge (collected beyond $2,500) will go to the Northern New York Community Foundation’s scholarship program, potentially increasing financial aid for local students and strengthening ties between the military community and regional education.
Includes financial safeguards and community interest checks. The requirement for a $6,000 surety bond (unless 200 pre-orders are received) ensures the state doesn’t bear the upfront costs if there’s insufficient interest, protecting public funds and ensuring only plates with real demand are produced.
Encourages wider community engagement. By allowing not just division members and veterans but also general supporters to obtain these plates, the bill invites broader public participation, potentially raising awareness and support for military families and their legacy in New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Army 10th Mountain Plates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Print number 860b
- Amend and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to local governments
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Advanced to third reading
- Amended 860a
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.535
Show 1 earlier action
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Army 10th Mountain License Plates
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Kenneth Blankenbush
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
860--B Cal. No. 535
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 5, 2017
Introduced by Sens. RITCHIE, CROCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, amended on second report, ordered to a third reading, and to be reprinted as amended, retaining its place in the order of third reading -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating distinctive license plates for the United States army 10th mountain division
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 404-z to read as follows:
§ 404-z. Distinctive plates for the United States army 10th mountain division. 1. a. Any member of the United States army 10th mountain division residing in this state, shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bearing the 10th mountain division insignia and the words "Member of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division". Application for such license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe. No license plate shall be issued to an applicant without verification that such applicant is a member of the 10th mountain division of the United States army.
b. Any person residing in this state, shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bearing the 10th mountain division insignia and the words "Supporter of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division". Application for such license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe.
c. Any veteran of the United States army 10th mountain division residing in this state, shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bear-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06838-08-8
S. 860--B 2
ing the 10th mountain division insignia and the words "Veteran of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division". Application for such license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe. No license plate shall be issued to an applicant without verification that such applicant owns a registered motor vehicle pursuant to section four hundred one of this article.
2. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as such other number plates upon the payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article, provided, however, that an additional annual service charge of twenty dollars shall be charged for such plate. Such annual service charge shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section four hundred four-oo of this article to the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate development fund established by section ninety-five-g of the state finance law and shall be used for the production, design, advertising and marketing of distinctive license plates pursuant to such section ninety-five-g provided, however, that annual service charges collected in excess of twenty-five hundred dollars shall be paid by the state comptroller to the northern New York community foundation for their scholarship program.
§ 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-z of the vehicle and traffic law shall only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to the department 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 development 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; and provided further, that 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 and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating distinctive license plates for the United States army 10th mountain division
Purpose
To establish distinctive license plates honoring our veterans from the United States Army 10th Mountain Division
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds new section 404-z to the vehicle and traffic law to provide distinctive license plates for the United States Army 10th Moun- tain Division. The plate is available to members and supporters of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division and proceeds from the sale of these license plates in excess of $2,500 annually shall be paid by the state comptroller to the Northern New York Community Foundation for a scholarship program in support of financing the division's members' and family members' pursuit of full time undergraduate or technical educa- tion.
Read the full memo (1,118 words)
Section 2 provides, that distinctive plates issued pursuant to this new section shall only be designed, produced, and issued, up on the delivery to the Department of Motor Vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of $6,000, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized y the Department of Financial Services to transact business in this state. Provided, however that if the commissioner shall have received 200 orders for such distinctive plate together with the additional annual service charge, no such surety bond is required. All service charges collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of Section 404-oo to the credit of the Department of Motor Vehicles Distinctive Plate Development Fund. This section also provides for the discontinuance of surety bonds if 200 or more sets of plates are sold in the series during the two year following the date upon which the plates were first made available for sale. If fewer than 200 sets of plates are sold during the first two years of sale, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall be entitled to recover against the bond an in amount proportionate to such shortfall.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
Existing law
Article 14 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law relates to the registration of motor vehicles. The enumerated sections of this article provide for distinctive license plates and the registration and issuance of license plates based on particular circumstances.
Section 404 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law provides for the issuance of special license plates. This section provides the commissioner may issue special number plates to applicants therefor in the same manner as other number plates are issued pursuant to this article.
Section 404(2) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law further provides for the issuance of special number plates to applicants who are members of veterans organizations. These plate shall be issued in the same manner as other plates, but shall be issued only upon (a) payment of the onetime service charge of $20 in addition to the regular registration fee
Section 404-oo of the Vehicle and Traffic Law provides for the deposit of service charges for distinctive license plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles Distinctive Plate Development Fund established pursuant to the State Finance Law and shall be used for the production, design, advertising, and distribution of such distinctive license plates estab- lished pursuant to this article on or after the effective date of this section.
Section 95-g of the State Finance Law establishes the Department of Motor Vehicles Distinctive Plate Development Fund consisting of all revenues received pursuant to the provisions of Section 404-oo of the Vehicle and Traffic Law and all money appropriated, credits, or trans- ferred thereto from any other fund or source pursuant to law. Moneys of the fund are expended only for the design, production, advertising, and distribution of distinctive license plates established pursuant to Arti- cle 14 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Justification
From their battlefield inception in 1945, to the present, the 10th Moun- tain Division has maintained its status as one of the most unique combat forces in American military history. In 1985, the light infantry Divi- sion was reactivated at Fort Drum, New York in Jefferson County. All soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division are prepared to deploy anywhere in the world. Whether their missions were in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, the humanitarian Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, East Africa, assisting in hurricane and ice storm relief efforts here at home, or the most recent deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, to name a few, the Division has always shown their technical and tactical profi- ciency in accomplishing their operations.
This legislation will recognize the 10th Mountain Division and their unique training in mountain and winter warfare, which has brought them great success and has helped advance world peace. Any member or support- er of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division residing in this state will be able to upon request be issued a license plate bearing the 10th Mountain Division insignia and the words "Member of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division," "Veteran of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division" or "Supporter of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division."
Applications for these distinctive plates will be filed with the commis- sioner and no license plate, bearing the words "Member of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division," may be issued to an applicant with- out verification that the applicant is a member of the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army. However, the distinctive plates issued will be administered in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee with an additional annual service charge of $20.00 for such plate. This service fee will be depos- ited into the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate development fund and be used for production, design, advertising and marketing of distinctive license plates. Proceeds from the sale of these license plates in excess of $2,500 annually shall be paid by the state comp- troller to the Northern New York Community Foundation for a scholarship program in support of financing the division's members' and family members' pursuit of full time undergraduate or technical education.
The legislation will honor our veterans from the United States Army 10th Mountain Division and support their scholarship program. By providing members, veterans and supporters with distinctive license plates we recognize these particular veterans' immutable service to our great nation and help sustain the scholarship program for 10th Mountain Divi- sion members and family members. These veterans deserve our acknowledg- ment and appreciation and this bill achieves that objective.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S.3311B - Passed the Senate/ A.8005-B 2013-2014: S.4062 - Passed Senate 2011-2012: S.5233 - Referred to Transportation
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
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