West Virginia House Bill HB2019

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/18/25
• Refer: 3/18/25

Caption

To waive the one-time $10 fee for a Veterans license plate to any first-time applicants who have an Honorable Discharge from any branch of the United States Military

Summary

House Bill 2019 amends West Virginia’s law governing special registration plates for military personnel. The bill keeps the existing authority for the Division of Motor Vehicles to issue special plates for active, retired, and honorably discharged service members, as well as certain family members of service members killed in combat, and it preserves related documentation and eligibility rules. The bill’s main change is narrow: it waives the existing one-time $10 application fee for first-time applicants who have received an Honorable Discharge from any branch of the armed services. The bill also retains provisions allowing surviving spouses to continue using a deceased spouse’s military plate under specified conditions, allows multiple vehicles titled in the applicant’s name to receive the plate, and preserves the separate fee exemption for Gold Star spouses for one Gold Star Family plate.

Impact

HB2019 would amend West Virginia Code §17A-3-14b by creating a fee waiver for eligible first-time veterans applying for a military license plate, reducing the upfront cost of obtaining that plate for honorably discharged service members. It does not broadly change vehicle registration law, but it does affect DMV fee collection and the administration of special military plate programs, including proof-of-service requirements and existing exemptions for Gold Star spouses and surviving spouses.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally supportive and noncontroversial in purpose, as reflected by its straightforward caption and fiscal note language emphasizing a fee waiver for veterans with honorable discharges. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded debate or opposition in the available materials. The overall framing suggests a favorable sentiment toward recognizing military service and easing access to veterans’ plates.

Contention

The only apparent policy issue is the loss of the one-time $10 fee for qualifying first-time applicants, which could slightly reduce special plate revenue and administrative collections. Otherwise, the bill is narrowly tailored and does not alter eligibility for most other military plate categories. No specific opposition, amendments, or competing viewpoints are shown in the provided record.