1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to transportation; establishing a special license plate for Army
1.3 Commendation Medal recipients; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section
1.4 168.123, subdivision 2.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.123, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 2.Design.The commissioner of veterans affairs shall design the emblem for the
1.8veterans' special plates, subject to the approval of the commissioner, that satisfy the following
1.9requirements:
1.10 (a) For a Vietnam veteran who served after July 1, 1961, and before July 1, 1978, in the
1.11active military service in a branch of the armed forces of the United States or a nation or
1.12society allied with the United States the special plates must bear the inscription "VIETNAM
1.13VET."
1.14 (b) For a veteran stationed on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, or offshore, during the attack
1.15on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the special plates must bear the inscription "PEARL
1.16HARBOR SURVIVOR."
1.17 (c) For a veteran who served during World War II, the plates must bear the inscription
1.18"WORLD WAR VET."
1.19 (d) For a veteran who served during the Korean Conflict, the special plates must bear
1.20the inscription "KOREAN VET."
1Section 1.
25-02534 as introduced01/22/25 REVISOR KRB/EN
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 870NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: HOWE)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/03/2025
Referred to Transportation 2.1 (e) For a combat wounded veteran who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, the
2.2plates must bear the inscription "COMBAT WOUNDED VET" and have a facsimile or an
2.3emblem of the official Purple Heart medal.
2.4 A member of the United States armed forces who is serving actively in the military and
2.5who is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal is also eligible for this license plate. The
2.6commissioner of public safety shall ensure that information regarding the required proof of
2.7eligibility for any applicant under this paragraph who has not yet been issued military
2.8discharge papers is distributed to the public officials responsible for administering this
2.9section.
2.10 (f) For a Persian Gulf War veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "GULF WAR
2.11VET." For the purposes of this section, "Persian Gulf War veteran" means a person who
2.12served on active duty after August 1, 1990, in a branch of the armed forces of the United
2.13States or a nation or society allied with the United States or the United Nations during
2.14Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, or other military operation in the Persian
2.15Gulf area combat zone as designated in United States Presidential Executive Order No.
2.1612744, dated January 21, 1991.
2.17 (g) For a veteran who served in the Laos War after July 1, 1961, and before July 1, 1978,
2.18the special plates must bear the inscription "LAOS WAR VET."
2.19 (h) For a veteran who is the recipient of:
2.20 (1) the Iraq Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of
2.21that medal and must bear the inscription "IRAQ WAR VET" directly below the special
2.22plate number;
2.23 (2) the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile
2.24of that medal and must bear the inscription "AFGHAN WAR VET" directly below the
2.25special plate number;
2.26 (3) the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must be
2.27inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription "GWOT VETERAN"
2.28directly below the special plate number; or
2.29 (4) the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the special plates must bear an appropriate
2.30inscription that includes a facsimile of that medal.
2.31 (i) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
2.32the special plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the
2.33inscription "GWOT VETERAN" directly below the special plate number. In addition, any
2Section 1.
25-02534 as introduced01/22/25 REVISOR KRB/EN 3.1member of the National Guard or other military reserves who has been ordered to federally
3.2funded state active service under United States Code, title 32, as defined in section 190.05,
3.3subdivision 5b, and who is the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, is
3.4eligible for the license plate described in this paragraph, irrespective of whether that person
3.5qualifies as a veteran under section 197.447.
3.6 (j) For a veteran who is the recipient of the Korean Defense Service Medal, the special
3.7plates must be inscribed with a facsimile of that medal and must bear the inscription
3.8"KOREAN DEFENSE SERVICE" directly below the special plate number.
3.9 (k) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Bronze Star medal, the plates must bear the
3.10inscription "BRONZE STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official Bronze
3.11Star medal.
3.12 (l) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Silver Star medal, the plates must bear the
3.13inscription "SILVER STAR VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem of the official Silver
3.14Star medal.
3.15 (m) For a woman veteran, the plates must bear the inscription "WOMAN VETERAN"
3.16and have a facsimile or an emblem as designated by the commissioners of veterans affairs
3.17and public safety.
3.18 (n) For a veteran who is a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal, the plates must
3.19bear the inscription "ARMY COMMENDATION VET" and have a facsimile or an emblem
3.20of the official Army Commendation Medal.
3.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2026, and applies to Army
3.22Commendation Medal plates issued on or after that date.
3Section 1.
25-02534 as introduced01/22/25 REVISOR KRB/EN