S 4743: Permits a distinctive plate for active duty military service members.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4743 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 12, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating a distinctive plate for active duty military service members The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new 2 section 404-ff to read as follows: 3 § 404-ff. Distinctive plates for active duty military service members. 4 1. Any active duty military service member serving in the armed forces 5 of the United States shall, upon request, be issued a license plate 6 bearing the words "U.S. Military". Application for said license plate 7 shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the 8 commissioner shall prescribe. 9 2. The distinctive plate authorized in subdivision one of this section 10 shall be issued upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the 11 applicant is an active duty military service member. The branch of mili- 12 tary service shall also be indicated on the license plate either in 13 words or by the insignia of the branch served in. 14 3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued 15 in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular 16 registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article 17 provided, however, that an additional one time service charge of ten 18 dollars shall be charged for such plate. 19 4. Nothing contained herein shall require the issuance of a special 20 number plate under this section unless the commissioner is satisfied 21 that the aggregate amount of annual service charges collected pursuant 22 to subdivision three of this section will be sufficient to recover the 23 costs of the design and manufacture of such special plates. 24 § 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff of 25 the vehicle and traffic law, as added by section one of this act, shall EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07812-01-5 
 S. 4743 2 1 only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to the depart- 2 ment of motor vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of six thousand 3 dollars, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized by the 4 department of financial services to transact business in this state. 5 Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have 6 received prior to plate design, production and issuance at least two 7 hundred orders for such distinctive plate together with the additional 8 annual service charge applicable to each such order, which shall be 9 non-refundable, no such surety bond shall be required. All service 10 charges collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited pursuant 11 to the provisions of section 404-oo of the vehicle and traffic law to 12 the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate devel- 13 opment fund established by section 95-g of the state finance law and 14 shall be used for the design, production, advertising and distribution 15 of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g. 16 2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which 17 distinctive plates in the series are first available for sale two 18 hundred or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant 19 to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of 20 such plates are sold by such time, the department of motor vehicles 21 shall be entitled to recover against the bond in an amount proportionate 22 to such shortfall. 23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 24 section one of this act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth 25 day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addi- 26 tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for 27 the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to 28 be made and completed on or before such effective date.