THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY PAYNE, BAKER, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CAUSER, COHEN, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, FLECK, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GROVE, GRUCELA, HARRIS, HESS, KILLION, KORTZ, MANN, MICCARELLI, MILLARD, MOUL, PERRY, PETRI, PHILLIPS, PYLE, RAPP, READSHAW, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 23, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 23, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, further providing for special license plates for

recipients of medals for military service and for exemption

of persons, entities and vehicles from fees.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Sections 1345 and 1901(c) of Title 75 of the

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 1345.  Special plates for recipients of the Medal of Honor,

Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying

Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross.

Upon application of any person who is a recipient of the

Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished

Flying Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross, the department

shall issue to such person a special registration plate

designating the vehicle so licensed as belonging to a person who

is a recipient of the Medal of Honor[.], Distinguished Service

Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force

Cross. The special registration plate may be used only on a

passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not

more than 10,000 pounds. The plate shall have a light blue

background interspersed with 13 white stars. The center of the

plate shall bear a golden bronze replica of the appropriate

medal. The initials of each recipient shall be embossed in red

to the left of the medal and the letters "CMH" (for

Congressional Medal of Honor), "DSC" (for Distinguished Service

Cross), "DFC" (for Distinguished Flying Cross), "NC" (for Navy

Cross) or "AFC" (for Air Force Cross) shall be embossed in red

to the right of the medal.

§ 1901.  Exemption of persons, entities and vehicles from fees.

* * *

(c)  Processing fee in lieu of registration fee.--No

registration fee shall be charged for vehicles registered by any

of the following but the department shall charge a fee of $10 to

cover the costs of processing for issuing or renewing the

registration:

(1)  Hospital.

(2)  Humane society.

(3)  Nonprofit youth center.

(4)  American Red Cross.

(5)  Church.

(6)  Girl Scouts of America.

(7)  Boy Scouts of America.

(8)  Salvation Army.

(9)  Duly chartered posts of national veterans'

organizations.

(10)  Young Men's Christian Association.

(11)  Young Men's Hebrew Association.

(12)  Young Women's Christian Association.

(13)  Young Women's Hebrew Association.

(14)  Jewish Community Center.

(15)  Nonprofit corporations of musical marching groups

of youths.

(16)  Any person who is retired and receiving social

security or other pension and whose total annual income does

not exceed $19,200. Unless the retired person is physically

or mentally incapable of driving the vehicle, the retired

person shall be the principal driver of the vehicle but may

from time to time authorize another person to drive the

vehicle in his or her stead.

(17)  Any veteran who lost a limb or eye or who became

partially paralyzed while serving in the armed forces of the

United States.

(18)  A person who, as a member of the armed forces of

the United States, was captured by the enemy during World War

I, World War II, the Korean Emergency, the Vietnam Conflict

or in a future armed conflict for which the Department of

Defense authorizes a campaign medal.

(19)  Any person who has been awarded the Congressional

Medal of Honor[.], Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished

Flying Cross, Navy Cross or Air Force Cross.

(20)  Nonprofit organizations which care for or otherwise

provide services for the elderly or the infirm.

(21)  Nonprofit organizations which principally serve

mentally or physically handicapped or disabled persons.

(22)  Nonprofit mobile aviation museum.

(23)  Nonprofit corporations that provide ambulance or

emergency medical services.

* * *

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.