S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7720
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. GALLIVAN, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered print-
   ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Transporta-
   tion
 
 AN  ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing
   the issuance of "Blue Star Mother" and "Blue Star Family"  distinctive
   license plates; and to amend the state finance  law,  in  relation  to
   establishing the "blue star mothers and families support fund"
 
   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  "BLUE  STAR  MOTHER"  AND  "BLUE STAR FAMILY"
 LICENSE PLATES. 1. ANY  PERSON  RESIDING  IN  THIS  STATE  WHOSE  CHILD,
 SPOUSE,  PARENT, SIBLING, OR GRANDCHILD IS ACTIVELY SERVING IN THE ARMED
 FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL, UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE
 LICENSE PLATE BEARING THE WORDS "BLUE STAR MOTHER" OR "BLUE  STAR  FAMI-
 LY",  RESPECTIVELY.    APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED
 WITH THE FORM AND DETAIL AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE.
   2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATES AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE  APPLICANT
 IS  THE  PARENT  OF AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER, OR THE SPOUSE, CHILD,
 SIBLING, OR GRANDPARENT OF AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER,  IN  THE  SAME
 MANNER  AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE REGULAR REGISTRA-
 TION FEE PRESCRIBED  BY  SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED  ONE  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,
 PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-
 FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.
   3. EACH TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS RECEIVED  AS  THE  ANNUAL  SERVICE  CHARGE
 UNDER  THIS  SECTION  SHALL BE DEPOSITED TO THE CREDIT OF THE "BLUE STAR
 MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT FUND" ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION NINE-
 TY-FIVE-L OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW AND SHALL BE USED FOR BLUE STAR MOTH-
 ERS AND BLUE STAR FAMILIES ORGANIZATIONS AS DETERMINED BY THE  NEW  YORK
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06256-01-5
              

 S. 7720                             2
 
 STATE  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS'  DIVISION OF VETERANS' SERVICES
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF  SECTION  NINETY-FIVE-L  OF  THE  STATE
 FINANCE LAW.
   §  2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 95-l to
 read as follows:
   § 95-L. "BLUE STAR MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT  FUND".  1.  THERE  IS
 HEREBY  ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION
 AND FINANCE AND THE COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE  BLUE
 STAR MOTHERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT FUND.
   2.  SUCH  FUND  SHALL  CONSIST  OF  ALL  REVENUES RECEIVED PURSUANT TO
 SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-FF OF THE VEHICLE AND  TRAFFIC  LAW,  AND  ALL
 OTHER  MONEYS  APPROPRIATED,  CREDITED  OR  TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY
 OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.  NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION
 SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS,  OR  BEQUESTS  FOR
 THE  PURPOSES  OF  THE  FUND, AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION, AND DEPOSITING
 THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY BY  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE
 DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS'  DIVISION OF VETERANS' SERVICES. THESE
 FUNDS SHALL BE USED FOR PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT  PARENTS
 AND  FAMILY  MEMBERS  OF  ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
 UNITED STATES.
   § 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 $6,000, which
 shall be executed by a surety company authorized by  the  department  of
 financial  services to transact business in this state. Provided, howev-
 er, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have received prior
 to the plate design, production and issuance at  least  200  orders  for
 such  distinctive  plate  together  with  the  additional annual service
 charge applicable to each such order, which shall be non-refundable,  no
 such  surety  bond  shall be required. All such service charges 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 development fund established by section  95-l  of  the
 state  finance  law and shall be used for the design, production, adver-
 tising and distribution of distinctive license plates in accordance with
 such section 95-l.
   2. If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon  which
 distinctive  plates  in  the series are first available for sale, 200 or
 more sets of such plates are sold, a bond  delivered  pursuant  to  this
 section shall be discontinued. If fewer than 200 sets of such plates are
 sold by such time, the department of motor vehicles shall be entitled to
 recover against the bond an amount proportionate to such shortfall.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.