BY REPRESENTATIVES Keller, Dyer, Entz, Dean, Epps, Faatz, Grossman, Hagedorn, Hefley, Mace, Salaz, and Zimmerman;
also SENATORS Coffman, Arnold, Congrove, J. Johnson,
Mutzebaugh, Norton, Phillips, and Powers.
CONCERNING ELIMINATION OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT A
DISABLED VETERAN OBTAIN THE DISABILITY PRIOR TO MAY 7, 1975, IN
ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES WITHOUT
CHARGE, AND MAKING AN APPROPRIATION IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State
of Colorado:
SECTION 1. 423104
(5), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
423104. Exemptions
specific ownership tax registration.
(5) One Class B motor vehicle weighing less than sixtyfive
hundred pounds or one Class C motor vehicle weighing less than
sixtyfive hundred pounds owned by a person who is a veteran
who has established rights to benefits under the provisions of
Public Law 663, 79th Congress, as amended, and Public Law 187,
82nd Congress, as amended, or that the person is a veteran of
the armed forces of the United States who incurred a disability
prior to May 7, 1975,
and who is receiving compensation from the veterans administration
or any branch of the armed forces of the United States for a fifty
percent or more, serviceconnected, permanent disability,
or for loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet or one
or both hands, or for loss of sight in both eyes, or for permanent
impairment of vision in both eyes to such a degree as to constitute
virtual blindness shall be exempt from the imposition of the annual
specific ownership tax imposed by this article. Only one such
Class B or Class C motor vehicle per veteran shall be exempted.
SECTION 2. 423115.5
(1) (a) (IV), (5) (b), and (5) (d), Colorado Revised Statutes,
are amended to read:
423115.5. Special plates
military veterans rules.
(1) (a) The department is directed to issue one
or more sets of special license plates to the following persons
who own a passenger car or a truck that does not exceed six thousand
five hundred pounds empty weight:
(IV) A DISABLED veteran of the armed forces
of the United States; who is otherwise
eligible to obtain license plates bearing the inscription "D.V.",
but whose disability was incurred on or after May 7, 1975;
(5) Disabled veterans. (b) Any
natural person who has received an honorable discharge from a
branch of the armed services of the United States and meets the
requirements of paragraph (d) of this
subsection (5) SECTION 423134
(3) (a) shall be eligible to use a disabled veteran special license
plate. When applying for such a license plate, the applicant
shall submit proof of honorable discharge from an armed forces
branch of the United States.
(d) A veteran
of the United States armed forces who is otherwise eligible to
obtain license plates bearing the inscription "D.V."
under section 423134 (3) (a), but whose disability
was incurred on or after May 7, 1975, may obtain such license
plates from the department upon the payment of any fees or taxes
required by subsection (1) of this section.
SECTION 3. 423134
(3) (a), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
423134. Registration fees
passenger and passengermile taxes.
(3) No fee shall be payable for the annual registration
of a vehicle when:
(a) The owner of such vehicle is a veteran
who in an application for registration shows that the owner has
established such owner's rights to benefits under the provisions
of Public Law 663, 79th Congress, as amended, and Public Law 187,
82nd Congress, as amended, or is a veteran of the armed forces
of the United States who incurred his
or her A disability prior
to May 7, 1975, and who is, at the
date of such application, receiving compensation from the veterans
administration or any branch of the armed forces of the United
States for a fifty percent or more, serviceconnected, permanent
disability, or for loss or permanent loss of use of one or both
feet or one or both hands, or for the loss of sight in both eyes,
or for permanent impairment of vision in both eyes to such degree
as to constitute virtual blindness. The exemption provided in
this paragraph (a) shall be applicable to the original vehicle
qualifying for the same and to any vehicle subsequently purchased
and owned by the same veteran but shall not apply to more than
one vehicle at a time. License plates for the vehicles qualifying
for the exemption granted in this paragraph (a) shall be issued
only by the department and shall bear the inscription "D.V.",
and a separate number series shall be used for such license plates.
Additional license plates bearing such inscription may be issued
by the department to any person eligible under this paragraph
(a) upon the payment of any fees or taxes required by this article.
Such license plate may also be issued to any person eligible
under this paragraph (a) for a motor home, as defined in section
421102 (57), upon the payment of any fees or taxes
required by this article.
SECTION 4. Adjustment to 1998
long bill transfer of funds.
(1) For the implementation of this act, the appropriation
made in the annual general appropriation act for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 1998, to the department of education, public
school finance, total program, is increased by fiftythree
thousand three hundred twenty dollars ($53,320). Said sum shall
come from cash funds exempt in the schools of choice fund created
in section 2236105, Colorado Revised Statutes.
(2) For the implementation of this act,
on July 1, 1998, the state treasurer shall transfer fiftyseven
thousand dollars ($57,000) from the schools of choice fund to
the highway users tax fund.
(3) The appropriation and transfer of
moneys from the schools of choice fund made in this section shall
be made notwithstanding the provisions of section 2236105,
Colorado Revised Statutes, that specify how the moneys in the
fund may be used.
SECTION 5. Safety
clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and
declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace, health, and safety.
____________________________ ____________________________
Charles E. Berry Tom Norton
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Judith M. Rodrigue Patricia K. Dicks
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
_________________________________________
Roy Romer
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE
OF COLORADO