Senate Bill No. 589

(By Senators Tucker, D. Hall, Fitzsimmons, Wells, Jenkins, Yost, Cann and Cookman)

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[Introduced February 14, 2014; referred to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure;

and then to the Committee on Finance.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §17A-3-14a, relating to authorizing the issuance of special Family of Fallen Hero registration plates.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §17A-3-14a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.

§17A-3-14a. Issuance of special “Family of Fallen Hero” plates.(a) Notwithstanding the limitations contained in section fourteen of this article, the division may issue special registration plates that read “Family of Fallen Hero”.

(b) In order to receive a registration plate under this section the applicant must demonstrate that the applicant:

(1) Is a resident spouse, child, grandchild or parent of a member of any West Virginia law-enforcement agency, a firefighter or paramedic killed in the line of duty; and

(2) Provides proof of eligibility and relationship required by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner shall design the special plate after consultation with the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association, the West Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, the West Virginia Troopers Association, the West Virginia Firemen’s Association and the Division of Natural Resources.

(d) Upon appropriate application, the division shall issue a special registration plate for any number of vehicles titled in the name of a qualified applicant.

(e) The division shall charge a special initial application fee of $10 in addition to all other fees required by law for a registration plate issued under this section. The fee shall be collected by the division and deposited in the State Road Fund.

(f) An annual fee of $15 shall be charged for each plate in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.

(g) The provisions of subsections (a), (b), (g), (h) and (i) of section fourteen of this section apply in the issuance of plates under this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the issuance of special "Family of Fallen Hero" registration plates.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.