SENATE BILL 86

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Candace Gould and Monica Youngblood and Miguel P. Garcia

AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; EXPANDING WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A GOLD STAR FAMILY REGISTRATION PLATE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 66-3-424.24 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2009, Chapter 88, Section 1) is amended to read:

     "66-3-424.24. REGISTRATION PLATES--GOLD STAR FAMILIES--SUBMISSION OF PROOF--PENALTY.--

          A. [Except as provided in Subsection B of this section] The division shall issue distinctive registration plates to the surviving [mother, father, stepparent or spouse] parent, spouse, child or sibling of a service member killed in an armed conflict with an enemy of the United States upon the submission by the person of proof satisfactory to the division that the person's [son, daughter, stepchild or spouse] parent, spouse, child, or sibling was a service member killed in an armed conflict with an enemy of the United States.

          [B. For each family of a service member described in Subsection A of this section, the division shall issue special registration plates for no more than four vehicles.] The submission of a United States department of defense form 1300 or department of defense form 3 by a surviving parent, spouse, child or sibling of a service member killed in armed conflict with an enemy of the United States shall be proof satisfactory to the division that the service member was killed in armed conflict.

          [C.] B. No fee, including the regular registration fee applicable to the passenger motor vehicle, if any, shall be collected for issuance of the first special registration plate issued to [the mother] a surviving parent or spouse of a service member described in Subsection A of this section. No fee other than the regular registration fee applicable to the passenger motor vehicle, if any, shall be collected for issuance of [the] three additional special registration plates issued to [the family] a surviving parent or spouse of a service member described in Subsection A of this section.

          [D.] C. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a fee of ten dollars ($10.00), which is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee, shall be collected by the division for the original issuance of a special registration plate pursuant to this section. The fee shall be retained by the division and is appropriated to the division to defray the cost of making and issuing special registration plates pursuant to this section.

          D. The special registration plate issued pursuant to this section shall be known as the "gold star families" special registration plate.

          E. The division, with the advice and consultation of the gold star mothers, shall determine the color and design of the gold star families registration plate and provide for its issuance.

          F. No person shall falsely claim to be a surviving [mother, father, stepparent or spouse] parent, spouse, child or sibling of a service member killed in an armed conflict with an enemy of the United States so as to be eligible to be issued special registration plates pursuant to this section.

          G. Any person who violates the provisions of Subsection F of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

          H. As used in this section:

                (1) "child" includes a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward or a child of a person standing in loco parentis;

                (2) "parent" includes a biological, adoptive or foster parent, a stepparent or an individual who stands in loco parentis to a child; and

                (3) "sibling" includes a stepsibling and a half-sibling."

     SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2018.

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