§490.7.  Military honor license plates for veterans and retired veterans

A.  The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall establish military honor license plates for motor vehicles restricted to passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and noncommercial passenger vehicles which have been converted to personal use which may be issued to any veteran or retired veteran of the armed forces of the United States upon the veteran's application.  The military honor license plate shall be of a color and design which is in general compliance with R.S. 47:463(A)(3).  However, said plate shall bear the name of the appropriate branch of the armed service and shall designate either "US VETERAN" or "RETIRED US VETERAN" as the case may be.

B.  The military honor license plates shall be issued in the same manner as other motor vehicle license plates.  Retired members of the armed services of the United States applying for the plates shall present to the issuing official a copy of their active duty retirement orders or other proof of retirement from active service with one of the armed forces of the United States.  Veterans of the armed services of the United States who are not retired shall present to the issuing official a copy of their discharge from active service with one of the armed forces of the United States.  The charge for this license plate shall be the same as for regular license plates.

C.(1)  Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the military honor license plates shall be used only upon personally or jointly owned private passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles registered in the name, or jointly in the name, of the member making application, and when issued to the applicant shall be used upon the vehicle for which issued in lieu of the standard license plate normally issued for the vehicle.  The license plate issued hereunder shall not be transferable between motor vehicle owners.  In the event the owner of a vehicle bearing the distinctive plate should sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise dispose of it, the plate shall be retained by the owner to whom issued and by him returned to the issuing official.

(2)  The military honor license plates shall be used upon noncommercial vehicles once used as commercial passenger vehicles as defined in R.S. 47:466 which have been converted for personal use registered in the name, or jointly in the name, of the member making application, and when issued to the applicant shall be used upon the vehicle for which issued in lieu of the standard license plate normally issued for the vehicle.  The license plate issued hereunder shall not be transferable between motor vehicle owners.  In the event the owner of a vehicle bearing the distinctive plate should sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise dispose of it, the plate shall be retained by the owner to whom it is issued and by him returned to the issuing official.

D.  The secretary shall promulgate such rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.  Oversight review of the secretary's proposed rules and regulations shall be conducted by the Joint Legislative Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

Acts 2005, No. 365, §1, eff. June 30, 2005.