Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF3214 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to transportation; providing fee exemptions for motor vehicles bearing
3	3	1.3 Purple Heart medal special plates; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections
4	4	1.4 168.12, subdivision 2a; 168.123, subdivision 2; 168.1293, subdivision 5; proposing
5	5	1.5 coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 168.
6	6	1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
7	7	1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.12, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
8	8	1.8 Subd. 2a.Personalized plates; rules.(a) The commissioner may issue personalized
9	9	1.9plates or, if requested for special plates issued under section 168.123 for veterans, 168.124
10	10	1.10for medal of honor recipients, 168.1245 for Purple Heart medal recipients, or 168.125 for
11	11	1.11former prisoners of war, applicable personalized special veterans plates, to an applicant
12	12	1.12who:
13	13	1.13 (1) is an owner of a passenger automobile including a passenger automobile registered
14	14	1.14as a classic car, pioneer car, collector car, or street rod; any truck with a manufacturer's
15	15	1.15nominal rated capacity of one ton or less and resembling a pickup truck; a motorcycle,
16	16	1.16including a classic motorcycle; a motorized bicycle; a commuter van as defined in section
17	17	1.17168.126; or a recreational vehicle;
18	18	1.18 (2) pays a onetime fee of $100 and any other fees required by this chapter;
19	19	1.19 (3) pays the registration tax required by this chapter for the motor vehicle; and
20	20	1.20 (4) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and
21	21	1.21licensing of drivers.
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24
24	24	State of Minnesota
25	25	This Document can be made available
26	26	in alternative formats upon request
27	27	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
28	28	H. F. No. 3214
29	29	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
30	30	Authored by Bennett04/21/2025
31	31	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation Finance and Policy 2.1 (b) The commissioner shall charge a replacement fee for personalized license plates and
32	32	2.2personalized special veterans plates issued under section 168.123 as specified in subdivision
33	33	2.35. This fee must be paid by the applicant whenever the personalized plates are required to
34	34	2.4be replaced by law, except that as provided in section sections 168.124, subdivision 3,
35	35	2.5168.1245, subdivision 3, and 168.125, subdivision 1b, no fee may be charged to replace
36	36	2.6plates issued under those sections.
37	37	2.7 (c) In lieu of the registration number assigned as provided in subdivision 1, personalized
38	38	2.8plates and personalized special veterans plates must have imprinted on them a series of not
39	39	2.9more than seven numbers and letters, or five numbers and letters for personalized special
40	40	2.10veterans plates, in any combination and, as applicable, satisfy the design requirements of
41	41	2.11section 168.123, 168.124, 168.1245, or 168.125. When an applicant has once obtained
42	42	2.12personalized plates or personalized special veterans plates, the applicant shall have a prior
43	43	2.13claim for similar personalized plates or personalized special veterans plates in the next
44	44	2.14succeeding year as long as current motor vehicle registration is maintained.
45	45	2.15 (d) The commissioner shall adopt rules in the manner provided by chapter 14, regulating
46	46	2.16the issuance and transfer of personalized plates and personalized special veterans plates.
47	47	2.17No words or combination of letters placed on these plates may be used for commercial
48	48	2.18advertising, be of an obscene, indecent, or immoral nature, or be of a nature that would
49	49	2.19offend public morals or decency. The call signals or letters of a radio or television station
50	50	2.20are not commercial advertising for the purposes of this subdivision.
51	51	2.21 (e) Despite the provisions of subdivision 1, personalized plates and personalized special
52	52	2.22veterans plates issued under this subdivision may be transferred to another motor vehicle
53	53	2.23listed in paragraph (a) and owned by the applicant, upon the payment of a fee of $5.
54	54	2.24 (f) The commissioner may by rule specify the format for notification.
55	55	2.25 (g) A personalized plate or personalized special veterans plate issued for a classic car,
56	56	2.26pioneer car, collector car, street rod, or classic motorcycle may not be transferred to a vehicle
57	57	2.27not eligible for such a plate.
58	58	2.28 (h) Despite any law to the contrary, if the personalized license plates are lost, stolen, or
59	59	2.29destroyed, the applicant may apply and must be issued duplicate license plates bearing the
60	60	2.30same combination of letters and numbers and the same design as (1) the former personalized
61	61	2.31plates or personalized special veterans plates under section 168.123 upon the payment of
62	62	2.32the fee required by section 168.29 or (2) the former personalized special veterans plates
63	63	2.33issued under section 168.124, 168.1245, or 168.125, without charge.
64	64	2Section 1.
65	65	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24 3.1 (i) A personalized vertical motorcycle plate may be issued upon payment of an additional
66	66	3.2payment of $100. The vertical plate must have not more than four identification characters,
67	67	3.3cannot be a duplication of any current or reserved license plate, and must meet the
68	68	3.4requirements in paragraph (d).
69	69	3.5 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.123, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
70	70	3.6 Subd. 2.Design.The commissioner of veterans affairs shall design the emblem for the
71	71	3.7veterans' special plates, subject to the approval of the commissioner, that satisfy the following
72	72	3.8requirements:
73	73	3.9 (a) For a Vietnam veteran who served after July 1, 1961, and before July 1, 1978, in the
74	74	3.10active military service in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or a nation or
75	75	3.11society allied with the United States the special plates must bear the inscription "VIETNAM
76	76	3.12VET."
77	77	3.13 (b) For a veteran stationed on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, or offshore, during the attack
78	78	3.14on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the special plates must bear the inscription "PEARL
79	79	3.15HARBOR SURVIVOR."
80	80	3.16 (c) For a veteran who served during World War II, the plates must bear the inscription
81	81	3.17"WORLD WAR VET."
82	82	3.18 (d) For a veteran who served during the Korean Conflict, the special plates must bear
83	83	3.19the inscription "KOREAN VET."
84	84	3.20 (e) For a combat wounded veteran who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, the
85	85	3.21plates must bear the inscription "COMBAT WOUNDED VET" and have a facsimile or an
86	86	3.22emblem of the official Purple Heart medal.
87	87	3.23 A member of the United States armed forces who is serving actively in the military and
88	88	3.24who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal is also eligible for this license plate. The
89	89	3.25commissioner of public safety shall ensure that information regarding the required proof of
90	90	3.26eligibility for any applicant under this paragraph who has not yet been issued military
91	91	3.27discharge papers is distributed to the public officials responsible for administering this
92	92	3.28section.
93	93	3.29 (f) (e) For a Persian Gulf War veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "GULF WAR
94	94	3.30VET." For the purposes of this section, "Persian Gulf War veteran" means a person who
95	95	3.31served on active duty after August 1, 1990, in a branch of the armed forces of the United
96	96	3.32States or a nation or society allied with the United States or the United Nations during
97	97	3.33Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, or other military operation in the Persian
98	98	3Sec. 2.
99	99	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24 4.1Gulf area combat zone as designated in United States Presidential Executive Order No.
100	100	4.212744, dated January 21, 1991.
101	101	4.3 (g) (f) For a veteran who served in the Laos War after July 1, 1961, and before July 1,
102	102	4.41978, the special plates must bear the inscription "LAOS WAR VET."
103	103	4.5 (h) (g) For a veteran who is the recipient of:
104	104	4.6 (1) the Iraq Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of
105	105	4.7that medal and must bear the inscription "IRAQ WAR VET" directly below the special
106	106	4.8plate number;
107	107	4.9 (2) the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile
108	108	4.10of that medal and must bear the inscription "AFGHAN WAR VET" directly below the
109	109	4.11special plate number;
110	110	4.12 (3) the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must be
111	111	4.13inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription "GWOT VETERAN"
112	112	4.14directly below the special plate number; or
113	113	4.15 (4) the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must bear an appropriate
114	114	4.16inscription that includes a facsimile of that medal.
115	115	4.17 (i) (h) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
116	116	4.18the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the
117	117	4.19inscription "GWOT VETERAN" directly below the special plate number. In addition, any
118	118	4.20member of the National Guard or other military reserves who has been ordered to federally
119	119	4.21funded state active service under United States Code, title 32, as defined in section 190.05,
120	120	4.22subdivision 5b, and who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, is
121	121	4.23eligible for the license plate described in this paragraph, irrespective of whether that person
122	122	4.24qualifies as a veteran under section 197.447.
123	123	4.25 (j) (i) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Korean Defense Service Medal, the special
124	124	4.26plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription
125	125	4.27"KOREAN DEFENSE SERVICE" directly below the special plate number.
126	126	4.28 (k) (j) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Bronze Star medal, the plates must bear
127	127	4.29the inscription "BRONZE STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official
128	128	4.30Bronze Star medal.
129	129	4.31 (l) (k) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Silver Star medal, the plates must bear the
130	130	4.32inscription "SILVER STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official Silver
131	131	4.33Star medal.
132	132	4Sec. 2.
133	133	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24 5.1 (m) (l) For a woman veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "WOMAN VETERAN"
134	134	5.2and have a facsimile or an emblem as designated by the commissioners of veterans affairs
135	135	5.3and public safety.
136	136	5.4 Sec. 3. [168.1245] SPECIAL PLATES FOR PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS.
137	137	5.5 Subdivision 1.Issuance and design.(a) The commissioner must issue special plates
138	138	5.6bearing the inscription "COMBAT WOUNDED VET" to an applicant who:
139	139	5.7 (1) is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal;
140	140	5.8 (2) is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, motorcycle, or recreational motor
141	141	5.9vehicle; and
142	142	5.10 (3) complies with this chapter and rules governing the registration of motor vehicles and
143	143	5.11licensing of drivers.
144	144	5.12 (b) The special plates must be of a design and size determined by the commissioner but
145	145	5.13must have a facsimile or an emblem of the official Purple Heart medal. Only one set of
146	146	5.14plates, or a single plate in the case of a motorcycle, bearing the inscription "COMBAT
147	147	5.15WOUNDED VET" may be issued for each qualified applicant.
148	148	5.16 Subd. 2.Application.Application for issuance of these plates may be made only at the
149	149	5.17time of renewal or first application for registration. The commissioner of public safety must
150	150	5.18ensure that information regarding the required proof of eligibility for any applicant under
151	151	5.19this section who has not yet been issued military discharge papers is distributed to the public
152	152	5.20officials responsible for administering section 168.123.
153	153	5.21 Subd. 3.No fee.The commissioner must issue a set of Purple Heart plates to qualified
154	154	5.22applicants free of charge, and the plates must be replaced without charge if they become
155	155	5.23damaged. In addition, no fee may be charged for a subsequent year when stickers are issued
156	156	5.24for a motor vehicle listed in subdivision 1 on which the Purple Heart plates are placed. The
157	157	5.25motor vehicle must be for personal use, not commercial purposes.
158	158	5.26 Subd. 4.Plates transfer.Notwithstanding section 168.12, subdivision 1, on application
159	159	5.27to the commissioner, special plates issued under this section may be transferred to another
160	160	5.28motor vehicle if the subsequent vehicle is:
161	161	5.29 (1) qualified under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), to bear the special plates;
162	162	5.30and
163	163	5.31 (2) registered to the same individual to whom the special plates were originally issued.
164	164	5.32The commissioner must not charge a fee for a transfer under this subdivision.
165	165	5Sec. 3.
166	166	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24 6.1 Subd. 5.Exemption.Special plates issued under this section are not subject to section
167	167	6.2168.1293, subdivision 2.
168	168	6.3 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.1293, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
169	169	6.4 Subd. 5.Discontinuance of plate.(a) The commissioner shall discontinue the issuance
170	170	6.5or renewal of any proximate special plate if (1) fewer than 1,000 sets of those plates are
171	171	6.6currently registered at the end of the first six years during which the plates are available, or
172	172	6.7(2) fewer than 1,000 sets of those plates are currently registered at the end of any subsequent
173	173	6.8two-year period following the first six years of availability.
174	174	6.9 (b) The commissioner shall discontinue the issuance or renewal of any proximate special
175	175	6.10plate, and distribution of any contributions resulting from that plate, if the commissioner
176	176	6.11determines that (1) the fund or requester receiving the contributions no longer exists, (2)
177	177	6.12the requester has stopped providing services that are authorized to be funded from the
178	178	6.13contribution proceeds, (3) the requester has requested discontinuance, or (4) contributions
179	179	6.14have been used in violation of subdivision 6.
180	180	6.15 (c) Nothing in this subdivision applies to plates issued under section 168.123, 168.124,
181	181	6.16168.1245, 168.125, or 168.1255.
182	182	6.17 (d) Upon commencing discontinuance of a proximate special plate under this subdivision,
183	183	6.18the commissioner (1) shall not issue the plate, including as a duplicate; and (2) shall allow
184	184	6.19retention of any existing plate for the regular period. For purposes of this paragraph, "regular
185	185	6.20period" may be, as appropriate, the period specified under section 168.12, subdivision 1;
186	186	6.21the time until issuance of a duplicate plate for that vehicle; or as otherwise provided by law.
187	187	6Sec. 4.
188	188	REVISOR KRB/NS 25-0059811/21/24