BILL NUMBER:  S236A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to distinctive plates for Korean Defense veterans

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue
distinctive license plates to Korean Defense veterans and the spouses
thereof.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of this bill amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding
a new section 404-cc that creates a distinctive license plate for
Korean Defense veterans. Subdivision 1 of this new section states that
any Korean Defense veteran or the spouse of a Korean Defense veteran
shall, upon request, be issued a license plate with the words "Korean
Defense Veteran". If a Korean Defense veteran license plate is issued
to a Korean Defense veteran, the Commissioner may not also issue a
Korean Defense veteran license plate to his or her spouse.  The
application for this license plate has to be filed with the
Commissioner in the manner the Commissioner may prescribe.

Subdivision 2 of this new section provides that the Korean Defense
veteran license plate will be issued upon proof that is satisfactory
              

to the Commissioner that the applicant or the applicant's spouse is a
Korean Defense veteran.

Subdivision 3 of this new section defines the term "Korean Defense
veteran" to mean a New York State resident who served in the United
States armed forces, was awarded the Korean Defense Service Medal, and
was honorably discharged from military service.

Subdivision 4 of this new section provides that the annual
registration cost for a Korean Defense veteran license plate shall be
the same as it is for number plates. Additionally, this subdivision
provides that there is an additional annual service charge of ten
dollars for this license plate.

Subdivision 5 of this new section provides that the Korean Defense
veteran license plate is not required to be issued unless the
Commissioner is satisfied that the aggregate amount of annual service
charges collected pursuant to subdivision four of this new section
will be sufficient to recover the costs of design and manufacturing of
these special plates.

Section two of this bill provides that the Korean Defense veteran
license plate shall only be designed, produced and issued after the
Department receives a bond in the amount of $6,000. If after 2 years
from the date that the license plates became available for sale, 200
or more sets of license plates have been sold, the bond may be
discontinued. If less than 200 license plates have been sold, the
Department may recover against the bond in an amount proportionate to
the shortfall.

Section three of this bill provides that this act shall take effect on
the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law;
provided, however, that section two of this act shall take effect
immediately; provided further, however, that effective immediately ,
the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :
More than 40,000 members of the United States armed forces have served
on the Korean Peninsula each year since the cease-fire agreement in
July 1953 ended the Korean War. Since the end of the Korean War, an
estimated 1,200 servicemen and women have died as a direct result of
the service in Korea.

These service men and women often go unrecognized in our society. In
December 2002, President George W. Bush signed The National Defense
Authorization for Fiscal Year 2003, containing the Korea Defense
Service Medal Act that instructs the Secretary of Defense to award the
Korea Defense Service Medal to all current and former Armed Forces
members that served in Korea from July 28, 1954 to a date to be
determined.

Currently, members of the United States armed forces are as vital as
ever in the Korean Peninsula region. Currently, there are 28,500
troops in the region. Because the transfer of South Korea's wartime
control of its military from the United States to Seoul has been
postponed indefinitely, these troops will continue to lend support in
this region.

This legislation will further recognize these brave service men and
women and offer a small token of appreciation to those who served and
continue to serve our Country so valiantly.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2016 - S.685 - Referred to Transportation
2015 - S.685 - Referred to Transportation
2014 - S.2749-A - Passed the Senate
2013 - S.2749-A - Referred to Transportation
2012 - S.636 - Referred to Transportation
2011 - S.636 - Referred to Transportation
2010 - S.2199 - Referred to Transportation
2009 - S.2199 - Referred to Transportation
2008 - S.451- Referred to Transportation
2007 - S.451 - Reported to Finance
2006 - S.8476 - Referred to Rules

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Because the Commissioner of the Department of Motor vehicles is not
required to issue the license plates unless the Commissioner
determines that the aggregate annual service fees will cover the cost
of designing and manufacturing the license plates, it is not
anticipated that this legislation will have any significant fiscal
impact on the State.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this
act shall take effect immediately; provided further, however, that
effective immediately , the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on
or before such effective date.