Title: Special License Plates

Summary: Creating a special license plate for recipients of the Bronze Star medal; requiring any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran license plates to be deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, instead of the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund; requiring certain homes to deposit all moneys received from the sale of Woman Veteran license plates into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to special license plates; amending s. 320.089, F.S.; creating a special license plate for recipients of the Bronze Star medal; requiring any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran license plates to be deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, instead of the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund; conforming a cross-reference; authorizing the likeness of the Prisoner of War medal to be on the  Ex-POW  license plate; amending ss. 296.11 and 296.38, F.S.; specifying requirements for expenditure of moneys deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund under certain circumstances; requiring certain homes to deposit all moneys received from the sale of Woman Veteran license plates into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 320.089, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 320.089 Veterans of the United States Armed Forces; members of National Guard; survivors of Pearl Harbor; Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal recipients; active or retired United States Armed Forces reservists; Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, or Combat Action Badge recipients; Combat Action Ribbon recipients; Air Force Combat Action Medal recipients; Distinguished Flying Cross recipients; former prisoners of war; Korean War Veterans; Vietnam War Veterans; Operation Desert Shield Veterans; Operation Desert Storm Veterans; Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans; Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans; Women Veterans; World War II Veterans; and Navy Submariners; special license plates; fee.  (1)(a) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use or recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use, who is a resident of the state and a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, a Woman Veteran, a World War II Veteran, a Navy Submariner, an active or retired member of the Florida National Guard, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, a recipient of the Bronze Star medal, an active or retired member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces Reserve, or a recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or Distinguished Flying Cross, upon application to the department, accompanied by proof of release or discharge from any branch of the United States Armed Forces, proof of active membership or retired status in the Florida National Guard, proof of membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association or proof of active military duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, proof of being a Purple Heart or Bronze Star medal recipient, proof of active or retired membership in any branch of the United States Armed Forces Reserve, or proof of membership in the Combat Infantrymen s Association, Inc., proof of being a recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or Distinguished Flying Cross, and upon payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the serial numbers prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words  Veteran,   Woman Veteran,   WWII Veteran,   Navy Submariner,   National Guard,   Pearl Harbor Survivor,   Combat wounded veteran,   Bronze Star,   U.S. Reserve,   Combat Infantry Badge,   Combat Medical Badge,   Combat Action Badge,   Combat Action Ribbon,   Air Force Combat Action Medal,  or  Distinguished Flying Cross,  as appropriate, and a likeness of the related campaign medal or badge, followed by the serial number of the license plate. Additionally, the Purple Heart plate may have the words  Purple Heart  stamped on the plate and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal appearing on the plate. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003 and annually thereafter, the first $100,000 in general revenue generated from the sale of license plates issued under this section shall be deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, as described in s. 296.38(2), to be used for the purposes established by law for that trust fund. Any additional general revenue generated from the sale of such plates shall be deposited into the State Homes for Veterans Trust Fund and used solely to construct, operate, and maintain domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans, subject to the requirements of chapter 216. (c) Any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran license plates must be deposited into the Grants and Donations Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund administered by the Department of Veterans  Affairs pursuant to s. 20.375(2) s. 20.375(3) and must be used solely for the purpose of creating and implementing programs to benefit women veterans. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, an applicant for a Pearl Harbor Survivor license plate or a Purple Heart license plate who also qualifies for a disabled veteran s license plate under s. 320.084 shall be issued the appropriate special license plate without payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08. (2) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of this state and who is a former prisoner of war, or his or her unremarried surviving spouse, upon application to the department, shall be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06, may have the words  Ex-POW  stamped on the plate and the likeness of the Prisoner of War medal with the words  Ex-POW  followed by the serial number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant meets the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b). (a) A citizen of the United States who served as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the armed forces of a nation allied with the United States who was held as a prisoner of war at such time as the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or his or her unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate provided for in this subsection without payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08. (b) A person who was serving as a civilian with the consent of the United States Government, or a person who was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States while he or she was not a United States citizen and was held as a prisoner of war when the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or his or her unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate provided for in this subsection upon payment of the license tax imposed by s. 320.08. (3) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of this state and who is the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, upon application to the department accompanied by the payment of the required fees, shall be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06 which is stamped with the words  Purple Heart  and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal followed by the serial number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant is the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple Heart medal. (4) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d) which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of this state and a current or former member of the United States Armed Forces who was deployed and served in Korea during the Korean War as defined in s. 1.01(14), upon application to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or former active duty status during the Korean War and payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words  Korean War Veteran  and a likeness of the Korean Service Medal, followed by the registration license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the Korean Service Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for the license plate. (5) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d) which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of this state and a current or former member of the United States military who was deployed and served in Vietnam during United States military deployment in Indochina, upon application to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or former active duty status during these operations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words  Vietnam War Veteran  and a likeness of the Vietnam Service Medal, followed by the registration license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for the license plate. (6) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d) which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident of this state and a current or former member of the United States military who was deployed and served in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or another area of the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm; in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom; or in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, upon application to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or former active duty status during one of these operations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words  Operation Desert Shield,   Operation Desert Storm,   Operation Enduring Freedom,  or  Operation Iraqi Freedom,  as appropriate, and a likeness of the related campaign medal followed by the registration license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for the appropriate license plate. Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 296.11, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 296.11 Funds of home and disposition of moneys.  (2) The home shall deposit all moneys received pursuant to s. 296.15 in into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund. Such moneys deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund must be expended for the common benefit of the residents of the home, such as improved facilities, recreational equipment, recreational supplies, and goods and services offered or available to all residents, subject to the requirements of chapter 216. Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 296.38, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 296.38 Funds of home and disposition of moneys.  (2) The home may shall be empowered to receive and accept gifts, grants, and endowments in the name of the home.All such gifts, grants, and endowments shall are to be used for the benefit of the home and its residents. In the absence of a specific directive from the benefactor, the administrator and,together with the director may,shall have the authority to determine how these gifts, grants, and endowments will could best benefit the home and its residents unless the benefactor requests or instructs that the gift, grant, or endowment be used for a specific purpose.The home shall deposit all moneys received pursuant to this subsection in into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund. Such moneys deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund shall be expended for the common benefit of the residents of the home, such as recreational equipment and supplies,improved facilities, recreational supplies, and goods and services offered or available to all residents. Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.