Provides for the issuance of distinctive license plates to the spouse of a congressional medal of honor recipient, and the transfer of distinctive license plates issued to congressional medal of honor recipients who are now deceased to their surviving spouse.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3305B
SPONSOR: Clark TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to distinctive
license plates issued to congressional medal of honor recipients
PURPOSE::
This bill would align the eligibility requirements for the issuance of
Congressional Medal of Honor license plates, with existing military
honors such as the Purple Heart. Presently, the spouses of Congressional
Medal of Honor recipients are ineligible to apply for this distinctive
license plate.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 of the bill establishes the name of this legislation, and may
be known and cited as the "Sergeant Gary Beikirch Memorial Act"
Section 2 of the bill would amend the vehicle and traffic law, section
404-p 1) and (2)
* Subdivision 1 would be amended to allow spouses of Congressional Medal
of Honor recipients to be eligible to request this type of license
plate, upon application with appropriate documentation
* Subdivision 2 would be amended to authorize the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles to issue such distinctive plates, conditional upon appropriate
proof
Section 3 of the bill establishes. the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In New York State, the spouse of a Purple Heart recipient is eligible to
request the issuance of a distinctive license plate, but the spouses of
Congressional Medal of Honor recipients are ineligible. This bill would
ensure that the standards are aligned for the issuance of distinctive
license plates for recipients of these important military honors. Allow-
ing this process is useful in the instance where a veteran in a house-
hold lacks the ability to drive or is not the individual a car is regis-
tered under, while still allowing that household to proudly display and
commemorate a veteran's service and military honors.
Within New York's veterans community there is recognition that for many,
there is an immense personal and sentimental value to the plates that
commemorate the service of Medal of Honor recipients. This legislation
is a step towards allowing for greater opportunity to commemorate this
service.
This legislation is named in honor of Sergeant Gary Beikirch, an Army
veteran who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his exemplary
service during the Vietnam War in 1970. On April 1, 1970 North Viet-
namese forces attacked Camp Dak Seang where Sergeant Beikirch was
stationed; there, he sprung to action and rendered aid to wounded Ameri-
can service members and local Vietnamese allies, while seriously wounded
from rocket shrapnel. He was later awarded the honor in 1973 by Presi-
dent Nixon, for his heroic service and dedication. Sergeant Beikirch was
born and raised in Rochester, NY, and called the region his home post-
war from 1979 until his passing on December 26, 2021 at the age of 74.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2021-22: A.10251-A (Clark) - Referred to Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect thirty days after becoming law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3305--B
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CLARK, JENSEN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee --
again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted
as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to distinctive
license plates issued to congressional medal of honor recipients
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Sergeant
2 Gary Beikirch Memorial Act".
3 § 2. Section 404-p of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter
4 486 of the laws of 1996, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 415 of the
5 laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:
6 § 404-p. Distinctive plates for congressional medal of honor recipi-
7 ents. 1. Any congressional medal of honor recipient residing in this
8 state or the spouse of any such recipient shall, upon request, be
9 issued a license plate bearing the words "congressional medal of honor".
10 If a distinctive plate is issued to a congressional medal of honor
11 recipient pursuant to this section, additional distinctive plates may be
12 issued for every vehicle registered in the name of the congressional
13 medal of honor recipient residing in this state or the spouse of such
14 congressional medal of honor recipient. Application for said license
15 plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as
16 the commissioner shall prescribe.
17 2. The distinctive plate authorized herein shall be issued upon proof,
18 satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant or the spouse of
19 the applicant is a congressional medal of honor recipient.
20 3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
21 in the same manner as other number plates, provided, however, that no
22 registration fee or service charge shall be charged for such plate.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02686-05-3
