Authorizes special plate for holders of "Combat Action Ribbon."
Summary
Assembly Bill 4161 amends New Jersey’s law governing special military license plates to expand eligibility for the existing “Combat Infantryman Badge” plate. Under current law, the plate is available only to holders of a Combat Infantryman Badge; this bill adds holders of a Combat Action Ribbon as eligible applicants, provided the award is certified on a DD-214 or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The bill also retains the existing structure for the plate design, application process, and fee, and continues to allow a surviving spouse to keep the plate under specified conditions.
The bill’s practical effect is to broaden access to a veterans’ specialty plate without changing the basic administration of the program. It would amend P.L.1993, c.72 (C.39:3-27.46) to include Combat Action Ribbon recipients among those who may receive the plate, while leaving the $15 additional fee, the chief administrator’s rulemaking authority, and the surviving-spouse retention provision in place. Because the Combat Action Ribbon is commonly associated with Marines, the bill is intended to correct an eligibility gap in the current statute.
Impact
The bill would amend New Jersey motor vehicle law, specifically C.39:3-27.46, to expand eligibility for a military specialty license plate from Combat Infantryman Badge holders alone to include Combat Action Ribbon holders. It would affect the Motor Vehicle Commission’s issuance of these plates, the class of veterans eligible to apply, and surviving spouses who may retain the plates after the holder’s death. No new program is created; rather, the bill modifies an existing veterans’ plate statute and preserves the current fee and administrative framework.
Sentiment
The available bill text and synopsis suggest a generally supportive and noncontroversial purpose: extending an existing veterans’ benefit to a group that was inadvertently excluded under the prior wording. The stated rationale is to allow Marines, who receive the Combat Action Ribbon instead of the Combat Infantryman Badge, to qualify for the same special plate. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of opposition or divided sentiment in the available materials.
Contention
The main issue addressed by the bill is eligibility equity within the special plate program. The sponsor’s statement identifies the current law’s limitation to Combat Infantryman Badge holders as excluding Marines, because they are awarded the Combat Action Ribbon instead. The bill resolves that mismatch by adding Combat Action Ribbon holders to the statute. No other points of contention are evident from the provided record, and there is no indication of fiscal, administrative, or policy opposition in the available materials.