Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 24

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 90

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 21, TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (three-fifths of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend Chapter 21, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by adding thereto a new section which shall read as follows:

"Section 2139D. Special License Plates for Recipients of Medals or Commendations for Valor.

(a)(1) The owner of any vehicle described in paragraph (2) of this subsection may apply to the Department for assignment to that vehicle of a special Valor registration number; provided, however, that the owner of the vehicle must possess official documentation which indicates that such owner is the recipient of a medal or commendation for valor while serving in the United States Armed Forces, including, but not limited to, the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Flying Cross, the Navy Cross, or a Letter of Commendation if awarded for valor under combat conditions.

(2) This section applies only to:

a. A private passenger vehicle; or

b. A truck with a 3/4-ton or less manufacturer's rated capacity.

(b) Special registration may be issued by the Department under this section if the United States Department of Defense certifies that the applicant is a veteran of World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, Operation Desert Storm or other military conflict on foreign soil in which United States armed forces were formally engaged in battle.

(b) No fee in addition to the annual registration fee otherwise required by this title is required for registration under this section; provided, however, that an original application under this section shall be subject to a $10.00 administrative fee which shall be deposited into a special fund and used by the Division of Motor Vehicles for the purpose of administering this section and to fund Department projects notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 13 and 14 of Title 2, Delaware Code to the contrary.

(b) The Department shall reserve sufficient special license plates including the letter "V" and numbered consecutively beginning with the numeral "I" as are necessary to implement this section. In addition, any special license plate issued pursuant to this section shall include an insignia of the specific medal or commendation awarded to the applicant.

(c) Upon receipt by the Department of information that the individual to whom the special plate has been issued has died, the Department shall write to the representative of that person's estate, requesting that such plate be returned to the Department within ninety (90) days."

Approved April 13, 1995