SLS 17RS-429 REENGROSSED
2017 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 135
BY SENATORS LAMBERT, CORTEZ, FANNIN, HEWITT, LONG, PEACOCK AND
WALSWORTH
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
MOTOR VEHICLES. Creates the "Blue Star Mothers" special prestige license plate.
(1/1/18)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 47:463.192, relative to motor vehicles; to provide for the "Blue Star Mothers"
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 Mothers"
9 A. The deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety and
10 Corrections, public safety services, shall establish a special prestige motor
11 vehicle license plate to be known as the "Blue Star Mothers" plate. The plate
12 shall be restricted to use on passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles,
13 recreational vehicles, and vans.
14 B. The deputy secretary shall work in conjunction with the Mothers of
15 Military Servicemen and Women/Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, Chapter 1,
16 to select the color and design of the plate, provided it is in compliance with R.S.
17 47:463(A)(3).
Page 1 of 4
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 REENGROSSED
1 C. The special prestige license plate shall be issued, upon application, in
2 the same manner as any other motor vehicle license plate, to a Louisiana
3 resident who submits written evidence that the applicant is the owner of a motor
4 vehicle and is the spouse, sibling, parent, or child of a person serving or who has
5 served in the armed forces of the United States. As used in this Subsection,
6 "armed forces of the United States" means persons serving or who have served
7 in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard,
8 reservists, and members of the National Guard. The plate issued under this
9 Section shall not be transferable between motor vehicle owners. In the event the
10 owner of a motor vehicle issued a "Blue Star Mothers" plate should sell, trade,
11 exchange, or otherwise dispose of such vehicle, the plate shall be retained by
12 original applicant to whom the plate was issued.
13 D. For the purposes of this Section, an applicant shall submit proof of
14 service and establish his family relationship to the armed service member. Proof
15 of service shall include but not be limited to a member's military identification
16 card, a member's DD Form 214, a member's leave and earning statement, or a
17 letter from the member's unit commander on official letterhead describing the
18 member's status. Proof of family relationship shall include but not be limited
19 to a marriage license, a birth certificate, or a signed and notarized affidavit
20 from the service member attesting to the applicant's family relationship.
21 E. The department shall collect an annual royalty fee of twenty-five
22 dollars that shall be disbursed in accordance with Subsection F of this Section.
23 This royalty fee shall be in addition to the standard motor vehicle license tax
24 imposed by Article VII, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana, and a
25 handling fee of three dollars and fifty cents for each plate to be retained by the
26 department to offset a portion of administrative costs.
27 F. The annual royalty fee shall be collected by the department and
28 forwarded to the Mothers of Military Servicemen and Women/Blue Star
29 Mothers of Louisiana, Chapter 1.
Page 2 of 4
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 REENGROSSED
1 G. The deputy secretary shall adopt rules and regulations as are
2 necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.
3 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2018.
The original instrument was prepared by Sharon F. Lyles. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by J. W. Wiley.
DIGEST
SB 135 Reengrossed 2017 Regular Session Lambert
Proposed law requires the deputy secretary of the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections,
public safety services, to create and issue the "Blue Star Mothers" 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. 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 to the Mothers
of Military Servicemen and Women/Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, Chapter 1.
Proposed law provides for adoption of rules and regulations necessary to implement its
provisions.
Effective January 1, 2018.
(Adds R.S. 47:463.192)
Page 3 of 4
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 REENGROSSED
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation,
Highways, and Public Works to the original bill
1. Revises name of plate to "Blue Star Mothers".
2. Removes requirement for certification by the LA Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
3. Removes distribution of a portion of annual royalty fees to the LA Military
Family Assistance Fund.
4. Provides for the annual royalty fees collected to be forwarded to the Mothers
of Military Servicemen and Women/Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana,
Chapter 1.
5. Changes the effective date to January 1, 2018.
6. Makes technical corrections.
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Makes legislative bureau technical change.
Page 4 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.