SLS 17RS-429 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 135
BY SENATOR LAMBERT
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
TRANSPORTATION/DEV DEPTMOTOR VEHICLES. Creates the "Blue Star" special
prestige license plate. (8/1/17) Creates the "Blue Star Family" special prestige license plate.
(8/1/17)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 47:463.192, relative to motor vehicles; to provide for the "Blue Star Family"
3 special prestige license plate; to provide for the creation, issuance, and design of
4 such plate; to authorize adoption of rules and regulations; and to provide for related
5 matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 47:463.192 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง463.192. Special prestige license plate; "Blue Star Family"
9 A. The deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety and
10 Corrections shall establish a special prestige motor vehicle license plate to be
11 known as the "Blue Star Family" plate. The plate shall be restricted to use on
12 passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and vans.
13 B. The deputy secretary shall work in conjunction with the Mothers of
14 Military Servicemen and Women/Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, Chapter 1,
15 to select the color and design of the plate, provided it is in compliance with R.S.
16 47:463(A)(3).
17 C. The special prestige license plate shall be issued, upon application, in
Page 1 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 135
SLS 17RS-429 ORIGINAL
1 the same manner as any other motor vehicle license plate, to a Louisiana
2 resident who submits written evidence that the applicant is the owner of a motor
3 vehicle and is the spouse, sibling, parent, or child of a person serving or who has
4 served in the armed forces of the United States. As used in this Subsection,
5 "armed forces of the United States" means persons serving or who have served
6 in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard,
7 reservists, and members of the National Guard. The plate issued under this
8 Section shall not be transferable between motor vehicle owners. In the event the
9 owner of a motor vehicle issued a "Blue Star Family" plate should sell, trade,
10 exchange, or otherwise dispose of such vehicle, the plate shall be retained by
11 original applicant to whom the plate was issued.
12 D. For the purposes of this Section, an applicant shall submit proof of
13 service and establish his family relationship to the armed service member by
14 submitting documentation to the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs for
15 certification. Proof of service shall include but not be limited to a member's
16 military identification card, a member's DD214, a member's leave and earning
17 statement, or a letter from the member's unit commander on official letterhead
18 describing the member's status. Proof of family relationship shall include but
19 not be limited to a marriage license, a birth certificate, or a signed and
20 notarized affidavit from the service member attesting to the applicant's family
21 relationship.
22 E. The department shall collect an annual royalty fee of twenty-five
23 dollars that shall be disbursed in accordance with Subsection F of this Section.
24 This royalty fee shall be in addition to the standard motor vehicle license tax
25 imposed by Article VII, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana, and a
26 handling fee of three dollars and fifty cents for each plate to be retained by the
27 department to offset a portion of administrative costs.
28 F. The annual royalty fee shall be collected by the department and
29 forwarded in equal amounts to the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Fund
Page 2 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 135
SLS 17RS-429 ORIGINAL
1 and to the Mothers of Military Servicemen and Woman/Blue Star Mothers of
2 Louisiana, Chapter 1.
3 G. The secretary shall adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to
4 implement the provisions of this Section.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Sharon F. Lyles.
DIGEST
SB 135 Original 2017 Regular Session Lambert
Proposed law requires the deputy secretary of the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to
create and issue the "Blue Star Family" special prestige license plate.
Proposed law provides for issuance of the plate to an applicant who is a Louisiana resident,
submits written evidence of motor vehicle ownership, and family relationship as the spouse,
sibling, parent, or child of a person serving or who has served in the armed forces of the
United States.
Proposed law provides that "armed forces of the United States" means and includes persons
serving or who have served in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast
Guard, including reservists, and members of the National Guard.
Proposed law provides that an applicant shall submit proof of service and establish his
family relationship to the armed service member by submitting documentation to the
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs for certification; further, provides that proof of
service includes a member's military identification card, a member's DD214, a member's
leave and earning statement, or a letter from the member's unit commander on official
letterhead describing the member's status; further, provides that proof of family relationship
includes a marriage license, a birth certificate, or a signed and notarized affidavit from the
service member attesting to the applicant's family relationship.
Proposed law provides that the plate is not transferable between motor vehicle owners and
shall be retained by applicant to whom the plate was issued if he should sell, trade,
exchange, or otherwise dispose of such vehicle.
Proposed law requires the department to collect an annual royalty fee of $25 in addition to
the standard motor vehicle license tax and a $3.50 handling fee for each plate to be retained
by the department to offset a portion of administrative costs.
Proposed law requires the department to forward the royalty monies collected in equal
amounts to the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Fund and to the Mothers of Military
Servicemen and Woman/Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, Chapter 1.
Proposed law provides for adoption of rules and regulations necessary to implement its
provisions.
Effective August 1, 2017.
(Adds R.S. 47:463.192)
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.