S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5988--B
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 25, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. MATTERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- reported
   favorably from said  committee  and  committed  to  the  Committee  on
   Finance  --  committee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said  committee  --  committee  discharged,
   bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said
   committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  providing
   for  distinctive  license plates for members of the Seabee Veterans of
   America
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
 section 404-ff to read as follows:
   § 404-FF. DISTINCTIVE PLATES FOR MEMBERS OF  THE  SEABEE  VETERANS  OF
 AMERICA.  1.  ANY  MEMBER  OF THE SEABEE VETERANS OF AMERICA RESIDING IN
 THIS STATE SHALL, UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A LICENSE  PLATE  BEARING  THE
 NAVY  SEABEE  EMBLEM.  APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED
 WITH THE COMMISSIONER IN SUCH FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL
 PRESCRIBE.
   2.  THE  DISTINCTIVE  PLATE AUTHORIZED IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
 UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE  APPLICANT  IS  A
 MEMBER OF THE SEABEE VETERANS OF AMERICA.
   3. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
 IN  THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE REGU-
 LAR REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED  ONE  OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME SERVICE CHARGE
 OF TEN DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.
   § 2. Subdivision 1-a of section 404 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 added by chapter 105 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08643-04-1
              

 S. 5988--B                          2
 
   1-a. The commissioner may issue special number  plates  to  applicants
 who  are  members  of veterans organizations in the same manner as other
 number plates are issued pursuant to this article. Such  special  number
 plates  shall  be  issued  only  upon  (a) payment of a one-time service
 charge  of  ten  dollars  in  addition  to  the regular registration fee
 prescribed by  section  four  hundred  one  of  this  article,  and  (b)
 submission  of  proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the appli-
 cant is presently a member of the veterans organization for  which  such
 plate  is  requested.  Such membership shall be verified annually by the
 applicant. Application for such plates shall be made in accordance  with
 regulations promulgated by the commissioner with respect to the issuance
 of  such  plates. Provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall
 be deemed to supersede the provisions of section  four  hundred  four-d,
 four  hundred  four-e,  four  hundred  four-h, four hundred four-i, four
 hundred four-j, four hundred four-k, four hundred four-p,  four  hundred
 four-aa, [or] four hundred four-dd OR FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-FF of this arti-
 cle.
   §  3. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff of
 the vehicle and traffic law as added by section one of  this  act  shall
 only  be  designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to the depart-
 ment of motor vehicles of a surety bond in the amount  of  six  thousand
 dollars,  which  shall be executed by a surety company authorized by the
 department of financial services to transact  business  in  this  state.
 Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have
 received  prior  to  plate  design, production and issuance at least two
 hundred orders for such distinctive plate together with  the  additional
 one-time  service  charge  applicable to each such order, which shall be
 non-refundable, no such surety  bond  shall  be  required.  All  service
 charges  collected  pursuant to this section shall be deposited pursuant
 to the provisions of section 404-oo of the vehicle and  traffic  law  to
 the  credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate devel-
 opment fund established by section 95-g of the  state  finance  law  and
 shall  be  used for the design, production, advertising and distribution
 of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g.
   2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon  which
 distinctive  plates  in  the  series  are  first  available for sale two
 hundred or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered  pursuant
 to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
 such  plates are sold by such time, such department shall be entitled to
 recover against the bond in an amount proportionate to such shortfall.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
 section  one  of this act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth
 day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,  the  addi-
 tion,  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.