HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2163

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to veterans remembrance emblems.

Brief Description:  Clarifying the requirements for a veterans or military personnel remembrance emblem.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget (originally sponsored by  Representatives Sheldon, Conway, Sehlin, Zellinsky, K. Schmidt, D. Sommers, Veloria, Huff, D. Schmidt, Johnson, Lantz, Sullivan, Koster, Pennington, Smith, Costa, Cairnes, Reams, Robertson and Hatfield).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation Policy & Budget:  3/3/97, 3/4/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/12/97, 96‑0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION POLICY & BUDGET

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Hankins, Vice Chairman; Mielke, Vice Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Cooper, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Constantine; DeBolt; Gardner; Hatfield; Johnson; Murray; O'Brien; Ogden; Radcliff; Robertson; Romero; Scott; Skinner; Sterk; Wood and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Jennifer Joly (786-7305).

Background:  Upon payment of a $10 fee, a person who has been honorably discharged or is serving on active duty in the U.S. military may be issued a package of veteran license plate emblems.  Each package contains one veteran, one American flag and one campaign emblem.

Examples of the campaign ribbon remembrance emblems include the World War II victory medal, Korean service medal, Vietnam service medal, and the Desert Storm medal.  The director of the Department of Licensing may issue additional campaign emblems by rule, as authorized by the U.S. Department of Defense.  In lieu of a campaign emblem, the veterans or military personnel who have not served during periods of war or armed conflict may be issued an additional flag emblem.

Currently, veterans or military personnel requesting veteran license plate emblems must provide a copy of their discharge papers or military orders, indicating their military status and the campaign ribbon awarded.  Often times the applicants fail to bring this documentation with them.

Two dollars of the $10 veteran license plate emblem fee is paid to the county treasurer.  The remaining $8 goes to the Department of Veterans Affairs for projects that pay tribute to veterans.  For instance, the monies may be used to preserve and operate existing memorials, as well as for planning, acquiring land and constructing future memorials.

Summary of Bill:  Veterans or active duty military personnel requesting veteran license plate emblems may show proof of eligibility by:  (1) providing discharge papers; (2) providing a copy of orders awarding a campaign ribbon; or (3) by attesting in a notarized affidavit of their eligibility.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Allowing veterans to sign an affidavit of fact, rather than showing a copy of their military discharge papers, to prove eligibility for issuance of veteran license plate emblems will result in more participation.  Increased participation will allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to raise more money for the erection of veterans memorials around the state.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Adolfo Capestany, Department of Veterans Affairs; and Nancy Kelly, Department of Licensing.