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 seeks to expand the definition of "veteran" 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 established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This new definition 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 statute, 45.01 (12) (L), which outlines this expanded definition of veteran status. 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, thereby allowing them to display their veteran status on official identification.