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SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5047
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AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
C 098 L 87
State of Washington 50th Legislature 1987 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Saling and Johnson)
Read first time 2/05/87.
AN ACT Relating to special license plates; amending RCW 73.04.110; and adding a new section to chapter 73.04 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 73.04 RCW to read as follows:
The department shall issue to the surviving spouse of any deceased former prisoner of war described in RCW 73.04.110(2), one set of regular or special license plates for use on a personal passenger vehicle registered to that person.
In order to qualify under this section the surviving spouse must have been married to the deceased former prisoner of war during the period of his or her incarceration. The plates shall be issued without the payment of any license fees or excise tax on the vehicle. Whenever any person who has been issued license plates under this section applies to the department for transfer of the plates to a subsequently acquired motor vehicle, a transfer fee of five dollars shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees.
Sec. 2. Section 1, chapter 178, Laws of 1949 as last amended by section 2, chapter 230, Laws of 1983 and RCW 73.04.110 are each amended to read as follows:
Any person who is a veteran as defined in RCW 41.04.005 who submits to the department of licensing satisfactory proof of a service-connected disability rating from the veterans administration or the military service from which the veteran was discharged and:
(1) Has lost the use of both hands or one foot;
(2) Was captured and incarcerated for more than twenty-nine days by an enemy of the United States during a period of war with the United States;
(3) Has become blind in both eyes as the result of military service; or
(4) Is rated by the veterans administration or the military service from which the veteran was discharged and is receiving service-connected compensation at the one hundred percent rate that is expected to exist for more than one year;
is entitled to regular or special license plates issued by the department of licensing. The special license plates shall bear distinguishing marks, letters, or numerals indicating that the motor vehicle is owned by a disabled veteran or former prisoner of war. This license shall be issued annually for one personal use vehicle without payment of any license fees or excise tax thereon. Whenever any person who has been issued license plates under the provisions of this section applies to the department for transfer of the plates to a subsequently acquired motor vehicle, a transfer fee of five dollars shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees. The department may periodically verify the one hundred percent rate as provided in subsection (4) of this section.
Any person who has been issued free motor vehicle license plates under this section prior to July 1, 1983, shall continue to be eligible for the annual free license plates.
For the purposes of this section, "blind" means the definition of "blind" used by the state of Washington in determining eligibility for financial assistance to the blind under Title 74 RCW.
Any unauthorized use of a special plate is a gross misdemeanor.