HB 5074 — AN ACT CONCERNING A MOTOR VEHICLE NUMBER PLATE COMMEMORATING CONNECTICUT WOMEN VETERANS.

House of Representatives General Assembly CommitteeFile Bill No.

5074223 January Session, 2025 LCOSubstitute House Bill No.

48315074 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, March 25, 2025 The Committee on VETERANS'Veterans' ANDand MILITARYMilitary AFFAIRSAffairs Introducedreported by:through REP.

(VA)FOSTER ANof ACTthe CONCERNING57th ADist., MOTORChairperson VEHICLEof NUMBERthe PLATECommittee COMMEMORATINGon CONNECTICUTthe WOMENpart VETERANS.of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING A MOTOR VEHICLE NUMBER PLATE COMMEMORATING CONNECTICUT WOMEN VETERANS.

SubsectionSection (a) of section 14-20b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):

(a) (1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, at the request of any veteran or member of the armed forces or the surviving spouse of such veteran or member, shall register any motor vehicle owned or leased for a period of at least one year by such person and shall issue a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates commemorating such veteran's or member's military service for each such motor vehicle, including a specialcertificatespecial ofregistrationandacertificate of registration and a set ofnumberof number plates for any motor vehicle used exclusively for farming purposes by any such veteran or member of the armed forces, or the surviving spouse of such veteran or member, who is engaged in agricultural production as a trade or business.

(2)TheCommissionerofMotorVehicles,attherequestofanywomansHB5074 veteran/ orFile woman member of the armed forces, shall register any motor LCO No.

4831223 1 ofsHB5074 2File Committee Bill No.

5074223 (2)TheCommissionerofMotorVehicles,attherequestofanywoman veteran or woman member of the armed forces, shall register any motor vehicle owned or leased for a period of at least one year by such person and shall issue a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates commemorating such woman veteran's or woman member's military service for each such motor vehicle, including a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for any motor vehicle used exclusivelyforfarmingpurposesbyanysuchwomanveteranorwomanexclusively for farming purposes by any such woman veteran or woman member of the armed forces who is engaged in agricultural production as a trade or business.

(b) (1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, at the request of any person who was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, which units served in the United States secret war in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War, or any person who is an eligible former reservist, or the surviving spouse of any such person, and after verification from the Department of Veterans Affairs as provided under subdivision (2) or (3) [, as applicable,] of this subsection, as applicable, shall register any motor vehicle owned or leased for a period of at least one year by such person and shall issue a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates commemorating such person's military service for each such motor vehicle, including a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates for any motor vehicle used exclusively for farming purposes by any such person, or sHB5074 / File No.

223 2 sHB5074 File No.

223 the surviving spouse of such person, who is engaged in agricultural production as a trade or business.

The plates shall expire and be renewed as provided in section 14-22.

The commissioner shall charge a fee for such plates, which fee shall cover the entire cost of making such plates and shall be in addition to the fee for registration of such motor vehicle.

(2) Any person who was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units, or the surviving spouse of such person, may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be listed as a veteran, based on such person's service during the Vietnam War, for the purpose of obtaining a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates under subdivision (1) of this subsection.

Such person, or the surviving spouse of such person, shall provide to said department (A) an affidavit stating (i) when such person served, (ii) where such person served, (iii) the unit in which such person served, and (iv) the capacity in which such person served;

(B) any available corroborating witness affidavits;

(C) any available official documentation of service;

and (D) any other documents supporting such person's or such surviving spouse's affidavit.

Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify whether such person was a member of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification.

(3) (A) Any person who is an eligible former reservist, or the surviving spouse of such person, may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be listed as a veteran, based on such person's service in a reserve component of the armed forces, for the purpose of obtaining a special certificate of registration and a set of number plates under subdivision (1) of this subsection.

Such person, or the surviving spouse of such person, shall provide to said department all available official documentation of such service.

Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify such person's service and, if so verified, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification.

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223 (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection or subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, neither the issuance of such registration and number plates to a person by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles nor the listing of such person as a veteran by the Commissioner ofVeteransAffairsshallconstitute proofofsuchperson's eligibility for any other benefit available to veterans.

(c) As used in this section, "eligible former reservist" means any person honorably discharged from, released under honorable conditions from or released with an other than honorable discharge based on a qualifying condition from, the United States Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard;

and "veteran", "armed forces" and "qualifying condition" have the same meanings as provided in section 27-103.

Section 1 July 1, 2025 14-20b(a)Section 1 14-20b Statement of Purpose:Legislative Commissioners:

ToInSubsec.(b)(1),"subdivision(2)or(3),asapplicable,ofthissubsection," establishwas achanged motorto vehicle"subdivision number(2) plateor commemorating(3) Connecticut[, womenas veterans.applicable,] of this subsection, as applicable," for consistency with standard drafting conventions.

thatVA whenJoint theFavorable entireSubst. text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] Co-Sponsors:

REP.sHB5074 / File No.

GRESKO,223 121st4 Dist.;sHB5074 File No.

REP.223 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

SHAKE,In 120thgeneral, Dist.fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

H.B.Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

5074OFA LCOFiscal No.Note State Impact:

4831Agency 2Affected ofFund-Effect 2FY 26 $ FY 27 $ Motor Vehicle Dept.

TF - Potential Minimal Minimal Revenue Gain/Cost Note: