HB2931.DOC

SECTION 1. Section 249-9.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§249-9.2 Special number plates; military service. (a) In lieu of the number plates contracted on behalf of the counties by the director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu, the director of finance shall provide for a fee, one set of special number plates upon the receipt of an application together with:

(1) Specific proof that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart by the United States Department of Defense for wounds received in military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States;

(2) Certification that the applicant is a veteran;

(3) Specific proof that the applicant was serving the United States in the military or as a civilian, on Oahu, or offshore at a distance of not more than three miles at the time of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Certification from the Hawaii state chairperson of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association shall constitute sufficient proof;

(4) Specific proof that the applicant was confined as a prisoner of war while providing military service to the United States; or

(5) Certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the state office of veterans' services that the applicant is a combat veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam conflict, the Korean conflict, World War II, or the Persian Gulf conflict.

(b) The design of the plates for:

(1) Purple heart recipients shall include the words "COMBAT WOUNDED";

(2) Veterans shall include the word "VETERAN";

(3) Pearl Harbor survivors shall include the words "PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR";

(4) Former prisoners of war shall include the words "FORMER PRISONER OF WAR";

(5) Combat veterans shall include the words "COMBAT VETERAN";

(6) Veterans of the Vietnam conflict shall include the words "VIETNAM VETERAN";

(7) Veterans of the Korean conflict shall include the words "KOREA VETERAN";

(8) Veterans of World War II shall include the words "WORLD WAR II VETERAN"; and

(9) Veterans of the Persian Gulf conflict shall include the words "PERSIAN GULF VETERAN".

These designations shall be imprinted on the left side of the [~~license~~] number plates in a manner similar to congressional and honorary consul [~~license~~] number plates.

(c) Registration certificates and [~~license~~] number plates issued under this section shall not be transferable to any other person. Special number plates for military service shall be assigned to a noncommercial passenger motor vehicle, a noncommercial motorcycle, or motor scooter registered in the name of the qualified applicant and shall be available in any category of special number plates for military service. Prior to the transfer of the ownership of the qualified person's vehicle to another party, the special number plates shall be surrendered to the director of finance as a condition to the issuance of replacement special number plates; provided that the director of finance shall allow the survivor of the qualified person, upon request, to retain the front special number plate as a memorial.

(d) The director of finance shall authorize the design of a [~~license~~] number plate that is readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic conditions and shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to carry out this section.

(e) An optional fundraising fee may be charged by the director of finance and collected on behalf of a military service veterans group chosen at the discretion of the applicant as follows:

(1) A $10 optional fundraising fee upon initial registration;

(2) A $5 optional fundraising fee upon each annual renewal of the vehicle registration; or

(3) Any dollar amount determined by the applicant.

(f) A military service veterans group, headquartered in the State, may apply to the director of finance on an application form prescribed by the director to collect the optional fundraising fee; provided that a group that is a chapter or branch of an international, national, or regional organization shall be in good standing.

The director of finance shall determine, based on criteria in this section, and the director's discretion, whether a military service veterans group's application is accepted or rejected.

If the director of finance rejects an application, the director shall state the reasons for the rejection in writing and shall allow the military service veterans group to reapply within a reasonable period after the rejection.

After a military service veterans group's application has been approved, applicants for registration certificates and number plates issued under this section shall be allowed to designate the military service veterans group to receive the optional fundraising fee.

(g) The optional fundraising fee shall be in addition to any other state or county fees collected for a motor vehicle registration or number plate. The director of finance may retain five per cent of each optional fundraising fee collected to offset the administrative expenses associated with collecting the optional fundraising fee. The remaining portion of the optional fundraising fee shall be deposited in the name of the military service veterans group in a separate county budget account. The director of finance shall determine the most efficient means of reimbursing military service veterans groups for their portion of the optional fundraising fee."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for fiscal year 2010-2011 to each of the counties as follows:

Honolulu $

Hawaii $

Maui $

Kauai $

The sums appropriated under this section shall constitute the State's share of the cost pursuant to article VIII, section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii for the programs mandated to the counties by this Act.

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2931
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII