Saluting New Jersey residents who served in the military, legislation Assembly Democrats Wayne DeAngelo and Eric Houghtaling sponsored to recognize honorably discharged veterans with special license plates advanced in the Assembly Thursday.
“Men and women who have served in our armed forces deserve the opportunity to convey their pride in being veterans,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “No matter where they go – regardless of whether they’re traveling here in New Jersey or out of state – these military plates will be a tribute to their service.”
The bill (A-133) would allow the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to issue special license plates to honorably discharged veterans. Applicants would have to present a DD-214 form as evidence of the honorable discharge. The bill also would allow surviving spouses of deceased veterans to retain the special license plates for display on vehicles they own or lease.
While a number of available license plates honor specific subsets of service members, such as recipients of the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, no such honor exists for all veterans.
The plates would identify the registrant as a veteran and feature the insignia of the branch of the military in which he or she served. A $15 application fee would be required to obtain the special plates, in addition to the normal registration fee.
“Any New Jersey driver may obtain a personalized license plate, but it is fitting to have a specialized plate, bearing a symbol of the U.S. military and reserved for those brave citizens who served our country,” said Houghtaling (D-Monmouth). “This legislation is about recognizing the individuals who did not hesitate to answer when their nation called.”
The bill was released by the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and now awaits further consideration by the Assembly.