Senate Bill 387 aims to expand the definition of "veteran" for the purpose of indicating veteran status on Wisconsin operators' licenses and identification cards. Currently, only individuals who have served a specified period of active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces can identify as veterans. The bill proposes to include former members of the U.S. armed forces, reserve units, or the national guard who meet the eligibility requirements for a veterans home loan as defined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This new definition is specifically for the indication of veteran status on licenses and does not extend to other veteran benefits.

The bill creates a new statute, 45.01 (12) (L), which outlines this expanded definition. It clarifies that this change will only apply to applications received by the Department of Transportation on or after the effective date of the bill. This legislative change aims to recognize a broader group of service members as veterans, allowing them to indicate their status on official identification documents.