Assembly Bill 389 proposes to amend Wisconsin law regarding the indication of veteran status on 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 indicate their veteran status. The bill introduces a new definition of "veteran" that expands eligibility to include former members of the U.S. armed forces, reserve units, or the national guard, provided they meet the eligibility requirements for a veterans home loan as established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This change is specifically for the purpose of allowing these individuals to indicate their veteran status on their licenses or identification cards, without affecting other veteran benefits.

The bill creates a new section, 45.01 (12) (L), in the statutes to formalize this definition. It clarifies that this new definition applies only for the purposes of sections 343.14 and 343.17, which pertain to the issuance of operators' licenses and identification cards. The act will first apply to applications received by the Department of Transportation on its effective date.