House Bill No. 6734 seeks to amend the fee structure for specialty motor vehicle number plates issued to veterans, members of the armed forces, and their surviving spouses. The bill modifies Section 14-20b of the general statutes by replacing the term "cover" with "be not more than," ensuring that the fees charged by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for these plates do not exceed the actual production costs. This change applies to various plates, including those for farming vehicles, and outlines the process for veterans of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units and eligible former reservists to obtain these plates affordably. Additionally, Section 14-20d is amended to similarly state that fees for special registration plates for veterans who received campaign medals shall "be not more than" the cost of production.

Moreover, the bill introduces technical changes and updates Section 14-19a to establish clear standards for issuing special registration and number plates, reinforcing that fees for veterans and armed forces members will be capped at production costs. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is also tasked with adopting regulations for collegiate special number plates in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025, and the bill is anticipated to result in a minor annual revenue loss of less than $2,000 to the Special Transportation Fund due to the reduced fees for specific veterans and military organization license plates.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 14-20b, 14-19a
VA Joint Favorable: 14-20b, 14-19a
File No. 303: 14-20b, 14-19a