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 changing the language from "cover" to "be not more than," ensuring that the fees charged by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles will not exceed the actual cost of producing these plates. This adjustment applies to various military-related designs, including those for farming vehicles, and establishes a process for veterans of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units and eligible former reservists to obtain special registration and number plates. Additionally, Section 14-20d is amended to align the fees for campaign medal plates with production costs, while Section 14-19a is updated to clarify that fees for veterans and armed forces members will not exceed the cost of making the plates.

The bill also introduces technical changes and mandates that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in collaboration with the Board of Regents for Higher Education, will create regulations for issuing collegiate special number plates featuring logos from Connecticut's higher education institutions. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025. Overall, the bill aims to provide financial relief to veterans and military personnel by reducing the fees for specialty plates, which is expected to result in a minor annual revenue loss of less than $2,000 to the Special Transportation Fund.

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