AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 39-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to military sacrifice number plates; and to amend and reenact section 39-04-10.3 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to personalized plates.
HB 1432 creates a new North Dakota specialty license plate category called “military sacrifice” plates and also updates the state’s personalized plate law. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to issue the new plates to eligible applicants who pay the normal registration fees and provide verification of eligibility. The plates must display a distinctive emblem and the words “military sacrifice.”
Eligibility is limited to immediate family members of a service member who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably and who was not found guilty of willful misconduct under federal veterans’ regulations. The bill defines immediate family member to include a spouse, parent or step-parent, person who acted in loco parentis, sibling, child or stepchild, and grandparent. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs may certify eligibility at the department’s request. The plates may be issued only for passenger vehicles and trucks with a registered gross vehicle weight rating of 20,000 pounds or less.
The bill also amends the personalized plate statute to clarify fee rules and availability. It preserves the existing $25 per registration period fee for personalized plates, while exempting gold star, military sacrifice, and prisoner of war plates from the additional charge. It also confirms that special plates may be available for certain vehicles, trailers, travel trailers, and motorcycles, and sets a one-time $100 fee for certain vehicles registered under section 39-04-10.6.
The bill’s impact is primarily on motor vehicle registration law and veterans-related specialty plate administration. It adds a new commemorative plate option for qualifying military families and requires the Department of Transportation and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to coordinate on eligibility verification. The measure does not create a new benefit payment or tax change, but it does expand the state’s specialty plate offerings and adjusts how personalized plate fees and transfers operate.
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and noncontroversial, as reflected by unanimous votes in both chambers: 92-0 in the House and 47-0 in the Senate. No committee testimony or recorded debate was provided, but the vote totals suggest broad bipartisan approval for honoring military families and clarifying plate administration. Any potential contention would likely center on eligibility definitions, documentation requirements, and the decision to limit the plates to certain family members and vehicle classes, though no opposition is shown in the available record.
HB 1432 amends North Dakota Century Code chapter 39-04 by creating a new military sacrifice specialty plate program and revising the personalized plate statute. It requires the Department of Transportation to issue the new plates to eligible immediate family members of certain deceased service members, with eligibility verification coordinated through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It also maintains and clarifies fee structures for personalized plates, including exemptions for certain commemorative plates and the availability of special plates for specified vehicle types.
The bill appears to have been received very favorably. It passed both chambers unanimously, indicating broad bipartisan support and little to no recorded opposition. The subject matter—recognition of military sacrifice and support for families of fallen service members—likely contributed to the consensus, and no committee controversy or dissent is reflected in the available materials.
No explicit contention is shown in the available record, but the bill’s eligibility rules could be a point of administrative or policy discussion. The law limits the plates to immediate family members as defined in the bill, requires verification of eligibility, and excludes cases involving willful misconduct under federal veterans’ regulations. Potential questions could also arise about the scope of the commemorative plate, the role of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in certification, and the restriction to passenger vehicles and lighter trucks. However, the unanimous votes suggest these issues were not politically divisive.