REPRESENTATIVES Schlichter, Wagner, Hoops, DeWine, C. Evans, Carano, Hughes, Allen, Husted, Fessler, Ujvagi, Price, Seitz, Clancy, Boccieri

To enact section 4503.541 of the Revised Code to

1

create "National Defense" license plates.

2

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 4503.541 of the Revised Code be	3
enacted to read as follows:	4

Sec. 4503.541. (A) Any person who has been awarded the	5
national defense service medal may apply to the registrar of motor	6
vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial	7
motor vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by	8
the registrar that the person owns or leases. The application	9
shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence in support of	10
the award as the registrar may require. The application may be	11
combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under	12
section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.	13

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor	14
vehicle under this section and the required taxes and fees, and	15
upon presentation of the required supporting evidence of the award	16
of the national defense service medal, the registrar shall issue	17
to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a	18
set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation	19
sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised	20
Code.	21

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed	22
on license plates, the license plates shall be inscribed with the	23
words "national defense" and bear a reproduction of the national	24
defense service ribbon. The license plates shall bear county	25
identification stickers that identify the county of registration	26
by name or number.	27

The license plates and a validation sticker or, when	28
applicable, a validation sticker alone shall be issued upon	29
payment of the regular license tax required by section 4503.04 of	30
the Revised Code, payment of any local motor vehicle license tax	31
levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, payment of any	32
applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42	33
of the Revised Code, and compliance with all other applicable laws	34
relating to the registration of motor vehicles.	35

(B) No person who is not a recipient of the national defense	36
service medal shall willfully and falsely represent that the	37
person is a recipient of the national defense service medal for	38
the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section. No	39
person shall own a motor vehicle bearing license plates issued	40
under this section unless the person is eligible to be issued	41
those license plates.	42