HOUSE BILL 278

45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

INTRODUCED BY

George J. Hanosh







AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; PROVIDING VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES A ONE-TIME WAIVER OF BOTH THE MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE AND THE FEE FOR VETERANS' SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 66-3-412.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001, Chapter 243, Section 1) is amended to read:

"66-3-412.1. SPECIAL MOTORCYCLE REGISTRATION PLATES FOR ARMED FORCES VETERANS.--

A. The department shall issue distinctive motorcycle registration plates indicating that the recipient is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in Section 28-13-7 NMSA 1978, or is retired from the national guard or military reserves, if that person submits proof satisfactory to the department of honorable discharge from the armed forces or of retirement from the national guard or military reserves.

B. For a fee of seven dollars ($7.00), which shall be in addition to the regular motorcycle registration fees, any motorcycle owner who is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States or is retired from the national guard or military reserves may apply for the issuance of a special motorcycle registration plate as defined in Subsection A of this section. No two owners shall be issued identically lettered or numbered plates.

C. An owner shall make a new application and pay a new fee each year he desires to obtain a special motorcycle registration plate. He will have first priority on that plate for each subsequent year that he makes a timely and appropriate application.

D. A one-time waiver of the fee imposed pursuant to Subsection B of this section shall be given to each armed forces veteran.

[D.] E. Each armed forces veteran may elect to receive a veteran-designation decal to be placed across the top of the special motorcycle registration plate, centered above the registration number. Replacement or different veteran-designation decals shall be available for purchase from the department at a reasonable charge to be set by the secretary. The department shall furnish the following veteran-designation decals with the armed forces veteran motorcycle registration plate to a:

(1) medal of honor recipient;

(2) silver star recipient;

(3) bronze star recipient;

(4) navy cross recipient;

(5) distinguished service cross recipient;

(6) air force cross recipient;

(7) ex-prisoner of war;

(8) disabled veteran;

(9) purple heart veteran;

(10) atomic veteran;

(11) Pearl Harbor survivor;

(12) Navajo code talker;

(13) Vietnam veteran;

(14) Korean veteran;

(15) disabled Korean veteran;

(16) World War II veteran;

(17) World War I veteran;

(18) Grenada veteran;

(19) Panama veteran; or

(20) Desert Storm veteran.

[E.] F. The revenue from the fee imposed pursuant to Subsection B of this section shall be retained by the department and is appropriated to the department for the manufacture and issuance of the special motorcycle registration plates for armed forces veterans."

Section 2. Section 66-3-419 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1990, Chapter 46, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"66-3-419. SPECIAL REGISTRATION PLATES FOR ARMED FORCES VETERANS.--

A. The department shall issue distinctive registration plates indicating that the recipient is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in Section 28-13-7 NMSA 1978, or is retired from the national guard or military reserves, if that person submits proof satisfactory to the department of honorable discharge from the armed forces or of retirement from the national guard or military reserves.

B. For a fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00), which shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fees, any motor vehicle owner who is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States or is retired from the national guard or military reserves may apply for the issuance of a special registration plate as defined in Subsection A of this section. No two owners shall be issued identically lettered or numbered plates.

C. The fifteen-dollar ($15.00) fee provided in Subsection B of this section shall be waived for each registration period in which a validating sticker is issued under the provisions of Section 66-3-17 NMSA 1978, in lieu of the issuance of a special armed forces veteran plate.

D. A one-time waiver of the fee imposed pursuant to Subsection B of this section shall be given to each armed forces veteran.

[D.] E. Each armed forces veteran may elect to receive a veteran-designation decal to be placed across the top of the plate, centered above the registration number. Replacement or different veteran-designation decals shall be available for purchase from the department at a reasonable charge to be set by the secretary. The department shall furnish the following veteran-designation decals with the armed forces veteran plate to a:

(1) medal of honor recipient;

(2) silver star recipient;

(3) bronze star recipient;

(4) navy cross recipient;

(5) distinguished service cross recipient;

(6) air force cross recipient;

(7) ex-prisoner of war;

(8) disabled veteran;

(9) purple heart veteran;

(10) atomic veteran;

(11) Pearl Harbor survivor;

(12) Navajo code talker;

(13) Vietnam veteran;

(14) Korean veteran;

(15) disabled Korean veteran;

(16) World War II veteran;

(17) World War I veteran;

(18) Grenada veteran;

(19) Panama veteran; or

(20) Desert Storm veteran.

[E.] F. The revenue from the special registration plates for the armed forces veterans fee imposed by Subsection B of this section shall be distributed as follows:

(1) seven dollars ($7.00) of the fee collected for each registration plate shall be retained by the department and is appropriated to the department for the manufacture and issuance of the registration plates; and

(2) eight dollars ($8.00) of the fee collected for each registration plate shall be transferred pursuant to the provisions of Subsection [F] G of this section.

[F.] G. There is created in the state treasury the "armed forces veterans license fund". A portion of the fee collected for each special registration plate for armed forces veterans, as provided in Subsection [E] F of this section, shall be transferred to the state treasurer for the credit of the fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be made on vouchers issued and signed by the director of veterans' affairs upon warrants drawn by the department of finance and administration for the purpose of expanding services to rural areas of the state, including Native American communities and senior citizen centers. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of any fiscal year in the armed forces veterans license fund shall not revert to the general fund."

Section 3. Section 66-6-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 342, as amended) is amended to read:

"66-6-7. EXEMPTIONS.--

A. Every person who, by the terms and provisions of Section 7-37-5 NMSA 1978, is entitled to a veteran exemption and who does not have sufficient real or personal property to claim the full exemption under that section may be eligible to pay motor vehicle registration fees at two-thirds the rates charged on vehicles which the veteran owns. The person claiming a reduced motor vehicle registration fee shall make an affidavit that in any claim of a veteran exemption thereafter during such year, he will set forth the amount of reductions so received which shall reduce the amount of benefits received from the real or personal property tax exemption to that extent. No person shall receive any reductions of registration fees in a greater sum during any one year than an amount equal to the property tax imposed on two thousand dollars ($2,000) of net taxable value of property in the school district in which he resides.

B. A one-time waiver of a motor vehicle registration fee shall be given to each veteran.

[B.] C. The director shall certify to the proper county assessor the amount of reduction received under the provisions of this section by any person, and the assessor shall note the reduction on his valuation records."

Section 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2002.

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