00 Enrolled HB 178 01 Relating to special motor vehicle registration plates; and providing for an effective date. 02 _______________ 03 * Section 1. AS 28.10.181(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) The department shall register unique and special vehicles and vehicles 05 used for special purposes and issue registration plates as provided in this section. 06 Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, registration plates issued under this 07 section remain with the person or organization to whom they are issued when vehicle 08 ownership is transferred or title or interest in the vehicle is assigned, except for plates 09 issued under (b), (h) and (i) of this section. Registration plates issued under this 10 section may not be used on, or transferred to, a vehicle other than the vehicle for 11 which the plates are issued without the approval of the department and payment of any 12 required fees and taxes prescribed in AS 28.10.421(d), 28.10.431, and 28.10.441 [; 13 HOWEVER, IF THE PLATES ISSUED UNDER (c), (f) AND (j) OF THIS 01 SECTION ARE TRANSFERRED TO A VEHICLE FOR WHICH THE 02 REGISTRATION FEE IS MORE THAN THE FEE FOR THE VEHICLE FROM 03 WHICH THE PLATES ARE TRANSFERRED, THE OWNER SHALL PAY THE 04 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO FEES]. Registration plates issued under this 05 section to which a person is no longer entitled or the transfer of the plates to another 06 vehicle that [WHICH] the department does not approve shall be returned immediately 07 to the department by the person or organization to whom the plates were originally 08 issued. 09 * Sec. 2. AS 28.10.181(c) is amended to read: 10 (c) Special request plates. Upon application by the owner of a motor 11 [PASSENGER] vehicle [, MOTORCYCLE, NONCOMMERCIAL VAN OR PICK- 12 UP TRUCK, OR MOTOR HOME], the department shall design and issue registration 13 plates containing a series of not more than six letters or numbers or combination of 14 letters and numbers as requested by the owner. The department may, in its discretion, 15 disapprove the issuance of registration plates under this subsection when the requested 16 symbols are a duplication of an existing registration or when the symbols are 17 considered unacceptable by the department. 18 * Sec. 3. AS 28.10.181(d) is amended to read: 19 (d) Vehicles owned by veterans with disabilities, including persons disabled in 20 the line of duty while serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard, or other persons with 21 disabilities. Upon the request of a person with a disability that limits or impairs the 22 ability to walk, as defined in 23 C.F.R. 1235.2, the department shall (1) register one 23 motor [PASSENGER] vehicle in the name of the person without charge; and (2) issue 24 a specially designed registration plate that displays (A) recognition of the disabled 25 veteran if the applicant's disability originated from the applicant's service with the 26 Alaska Territorial Guard or the armed forces of the United States; (B) the international 27 symbol of accessibility (the wheelchair logo); and (C) if the applicant is a veteran, the 28 Alaska and United States flags and red, white, and blue colors. A person who is not 29 otherwise qualified under this subsection, but who meets the qualifications of a 30 disabled veteran under AS 29.45.030(i), may register one motor [PASSENGER] 31 vehicle without charge, and the department shall issue a specially designed registration 01 plate that displays recognition of the disabled veteran that does not display the 02 international symbol of accessibility and does not carry with it special parking 03 privileges. For purposes of this subsection, proof of disability may be provided by a 04 person licensed as a physician or physician assistant under AS 08.64 or as an advanced 05 nurse practitioner under AS 08.68. 06 * Sec. 4. AS 28.10.181(f) is amended to read: 07 (f) Vehicles owned by elected state officials. The department shall issue 08 special registration plates to each incumbent elected state official for display on 09 [NONCOMMERCIAL] motor vehicles owned and driven by the official except that 10 the plates may not be displayed on a vehicle that is visually identifiable as a 11 commercial vehicle. The department shall number or design the plates so that 12 registration by an elected state official is indicated upon the plates. The registration 13 plates issued under this subsection may remain on [WITH THE OWNER OF] the 14 vehicle only during the official's term of office. 15 * Sec. 5. AS 28.10.181(m) is amended to read: 16 (m) Special request plates for Alaska National Guard personnel. Upon 17 application by the owner of a motor [PASSENGER] vehicle [, NONCOMMERCIAL 18 VAN OR PICK-UP TRUCK, OR MOTOR HOME] who presents satisfactory proof of 19 current membership in the Alaska National Guard, the department may design and 20 issue registration plates that identify the vehicle as registered to a member of the 21 Alaska National Guard. 22 * Sec. 6. AS 28.10.181(o) is amended to read: 23 (o) Special request university plates. Upon application by the owner of a 24 motor [PASSENGER] vehicle, [VAN OR PICK-UP TRUCK, OR MOTOR HOME,] 25 the department may design and issue registration plates representing the University of 26 Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, or 27 Prince William Sound Community College. The department may disapprove the 28 issuance of registration plates under this subsection when the requested plates are a 29 duplication of an existing registration. 30 * Sec. 7. AS 28.10.181(p) is amended to read: 31 (p) Vehicles owned by veterans. The department, upon receipt of written 01 proof that the veteran is a sole or joint owner of a [NONCOMMERCIAL] motor 02 vehicle, shall issue special registration plates for the [NONCOMMERCIAL] motor 03 vehicle to a requesting person who is a veteran or retired veteran of the armed forces 04 of the United States. The commissioner, after consulting with the director of the 05 division of veterans affairs, shall determine the design and color of the veteran or 06 retired veteran plates. 07 * Sec. 8. AS 28.10.181(q) is amended to read: 08 (q) Vehicles owned by recipients of the Purple Heart. The department, upon 09 receipt of written proof that the person is the sole or joint owner of a 10 [NONCOMMERCIAL] motor vehicle, shall issue special registration plates for the 11 [NONCOMMERCIAL] motor vehicle to a requesting person who has received the 12 Purple Heart medal awarded for wounds suffered in action against an armed enemy or 13 as a result of the hostile action of an armed enemy. The commissioner, after 14 consulting with the director of the division of veterans affairs, shall determine the 15 design and color of the Purple Heart medal recipient plates. 16 * Sec. 9. AS 28.10.181(s) is amended to read: 17 (s) Special request dog mushing plates. Upon application by the owner of a 18 motor [PASSENGER] vehicle, [VAN OR PICK-UP TRUCK, OR MOTOR HOME,] 19 the department may design and issue registration plates representing the sport of dog 20 mushing in the state. The department may disapprove the issuance of registration 21 plates under this subsection when the requested plates are a duplication of an existing 22 registration. 23 * Sec. 10. AS 28.10.181(t) is amended to read: 24 (t) Special request Alaska children's trust plates. Upon application by the 25 owner of a motor [PASSENGER] vehicle [, NONCOMMERCIAL VAN OR PICK- 26 UP TRUCK, OR MOTOR HOME], the department may design and issue registration 27 plates representing the Alaska children's trust under AS 37.14.200. The department 28 may disapprove the issuance of registration plates under this subsection when the 29 requested plates are a duplication of an existing registration. 30 * Sec. 11. AS 28.10.181(u) is amended to read: 31 (u) Special request plates commemorating the arts. Upon application by the 01 owner of a motor [PASSENGER] vehicle [, VAN OR PICK-UP TRUCK, OR 02 MOTOR HOME], the department may issue registration plates commemorating the 03 arts. The commissioner, after consulting with the Alaska State Council on the Arts, 04 shall determine the design and color of plates commemorating the arts. The 05 department may disapprove the issuance of registration plates under this subsection 06 when the requested plates are a duplication of an existing registration. 07 * Sec. 12. AS 28.10.181(w) is amended to read: 08 (w) Special request plates commemorating Alaska veterans. Upon application 09 by the owner of a motor [PASSENGER] vehicle, [VAN, PICK-UP TRUCK, OR 10 MOTOR HOME,] the department may issue registration plates commemorating 11 Alaska veterans. The commissioner shall determine the design and color of plates 12 commemorating Alaska veterans. The department may disapprove the issuance of 13 registration plates under this subsection when the requested plates are a duplication of 14 an existing registration. 15 * Sec. 13. AS 28.10.421(d) is amended to read: 16 (d) The special registration fees under this subsection are imposed biennially, 17 unless otherwise specified, for 18 (1) a historic vehicle registered under 19 (A) AS 28.10.181(b)(1) and that is driven or moved on a 20 highway for the primary purpose of historical exhibition or similar activity, 21 one time only upon initial registration under AS 28.10.181(b) ................. $10; 22 (B) AS 28.10.181(b)(2) ..................................................... $30 23 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b) of this section, unless the 24 historic vehicle is eligible for the fee described under (C) of this paragraph; the 25 fee required by this subparagraph shall be collected only on the first issuance 26 and on the replacement of the historic plates; 27 (C) AS 28.10.181(b)(2) and that is driven or moved on a 28 highway for the primary purpose of historical exhibition or similar activity, 29 one time only upon initial registration under AS 28.10.181(b) ................. $10; 30 (2) special request plates for 31 (A) Alaska National Guard personnel .............................. $30; 01 (B) veterans or retired veterans ........................................ $30; 02 (C) recipients of the Purple Heart ..................................... $30; 03 (D) owners of custom collector vehicles .......................... $50; 04 (E) other special request plates ......................................... $30; 05 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) of this section; the fee 06 required by this paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance and on the 07 replacement of special request plates; 08 (3) a vehicle owned by a person with a disability and registered under 09 AS 28.10.181(d), or by a resident 65 years of age or older who files a written 10 application for an exemption on a form prescribed by the department ............... none; 11 (4) a vehicle owned by the state ................................................. none; 12 (5) a vehicle owned by an elected state official ................................... 13 .................... the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) of this section; 14 (6) a vehicle owned by a rancher, farmer, or dairyman and registered 15 under AS 28.10.181 ............................................................................................... 16 (7) a snowmobile or off-highway vehicle .................................... $10; 17 (8) an amateur mobile radio station vehicle, 18 (A) with a transceiver capable of less than 5-band operation 19 .....................the fee required for that vehicle under (b) or (c) of this section; 20 (B) in recognition of service to the public a mobile amateur 21 radio station owned by an amateur with general class or higher license, 22 provided the station must be satisfactorily proved capable of operating on at 23 least five bands from 160 through 10 meters, must have an antenna, and must 24 have a power supply and wiring as a permanent part of the vehicle; the 25 transmitting unit may be removed from the car for service or dry storage 26 ............................................................................................................. 27 for a mobile amateur radio station vehicle included in (b) (1) or (2) of this 28 section; 29 (9) dealer registration plates 30 (A) the initial set of plates ................................................ $88; 31 (B) each subsequent set of plates ...................................... $50; 01 (10) a vehicle owned by a municipality or charitable organization 02 meeting the requirements of AS 28.10.181(e) ....................................................... $10; 03 (11) a vehicle owned by a Pearl Harbor survivor or a former prisoner 04 of war ........................................................................................................... 05 (12) special request university plates ............................................ $50 06 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this 07 section; the fee required by this paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance 08 and on the replacement of special request plates; the commissioner of administration 09 shall separately account by university campus designation for the fees received under 10 this paragraph that the department deposits in the general fund; the annual estimated 11 balance in the accounts that is in excess of the cost of issuing special request 12 university plates may be appropriated by the legislature for the support of programs at 13 each campus; 14 (13) special request dog mushing plates ........................................ $50 15 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this 16 section; the fee required by this paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance 17 and on the replacement of special request plates; the commissioner of administration 18 shall separately account for the fees received under this paragraph that the department 19 deposits in the general fund; notwithstanding (g) of this section, the annual estimated 20 balance in the account that is in excess of the cost of issuing special request plates may 21 be appropriated by the legislature for the support of programs benefiting dog mushing; 22 (14) special request Alaska children's trust plates ....................... $100 23 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this 24 section; the fee required by this paragraph shall be collected only on the first issuance 25 and the replacement of special request plates; the commissioner of administration shall 26 separately account for the fees received under this paragraph that the department 27 deposits in the general fund; notwithstanding (g) of this section, the annual estimated 28 balance in the account that is in excess of the cost of issuing special request plates may 29 be appropriated by the legislature into the principal of the Alaska children's trust under 30 AS 37.14.200; 31 (15) special request plates commemorating the arts .................... $150 01 plus the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this 02 section; the fee required by this paragraph shall be collected biennially in the same 03 manner as the fee required under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this section; the 04 commissioner of administration shall separately account for the fees received under 05 this paragraph that the department deposits in the general fund; notwithstanding (g) of 06 this section, the annual estimated balance in the account that is in excess of the cost of 07 issuing special request plates may be appropriated by the legislature for the support of 08 programs benefiting the arts; 09 (16) special request plates commemorating Alaska veterans ...... $100 10 plus a fee of $35 and the fee required for that vehicle under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) 11 OR (2)] of this section; the $100 fee required by this paragraph shall be collected only 12 on the first issuance of and the replacement of the commemorative veterans' plates; the 13 $35 fee required by this paragraph shall be collected biennially in the same manner as 14 the fee required under (b), (c), (h), or (i) [(b)(1) OR (2)] of this section; the 15 commissioner of administration shall separately account for the fees received under 16 this paragraph that the department deposits in the general fund; notwithstanding (g) of 17 this section, the annual estimated balance in the account that is in excess of the cost of 18 issuing special request plates may be appropriated by the legislature for the support of 19 programs benefiting Alaska veterans. 20 * Sec. 14. This Act takes effect July 1, 2005.