Support the troops license plates approved
Senators passed a bill May 2 that creates several new specialty license plates.
LB138, sponsored by Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood, authorizes the state Department of Motor Vehicles to create several specialty license plates including designs honoring people who have served in the armed forces in Iran, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf War, the Vietnam War and the Global War on Terror.
It also creates a “Support Our Troops” plate available to those who have not served, but would like to show support for the armed forces. The application fee for a personalized message Support Our Troops plate will be $70.
There is a $5 fee for any of the bill’s specialty alphanumeric plates and a $40 fee for a personalized message plate. The alphanumeric fee and $30 of the personalized message fee will be dedicated to the Veterans Employment Program Fund. The remaining portion of the personalized message fee will be credited to the DMV cash fund.
The specialty plates will be available effective Jan. 1, 2021.
The bill includes provisions of LB696, originally introduced by Brainard Sen. Bruce Bostelman, which substitutes Army National Guard and Air National Guard license plates for the current National Guard Military Honor plates.
Provisions of LB697, also introduced by Bostelman, eliminate application and renewal fees for Purple Heart, ex-POW, Pearl Harbor Survivor and Disabled American Veteran license plates effective Jan. 1, 2021.
Similarly, there will be no application fee for a Gold Star personalized message license plate, however a $5 renewal fee still will apply. The license plate will be considered permanent as long as the vehicle to which it is attached remains registered by the applicant.
Finally, the bill includes provisions of LB626, originally sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, which directs the state Department of Veterans Affairs to create a job search website specifically for veterans.
The website will be funded through revenue raised by sales of the “Support Our Troops” license plates.
The bill passed on a 48-0 vote.
