§249-9.2  Special number plates; militaryservice.  (a)  In lieu of the number plates contracted on behalf of thecounties by the director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu, thedirector of finance shall provide for a fee, one set of special number platesupon the receipt of an application together with:

(1)  Specific proof that the applicant was awarded thePurple Heart by the United States Department of Defense for wounds received inmilitary or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States;

(2)  Certification that the applicant is a veteran;

(3)  Specific proof that the applicant was serving theUnited States in the military or as a civilian, on Oahu, or offshore at adistance of not more than three miles at the time of the December 7, 1941,attack on Pearl Harbor.  Certification from the Hawaii state chairperson of thePearl Harbor Survivors Association shall constitute sufficient proof;

(4)  Specific proof that the applicant was confined asa prisoner of war while providing military service to the United States; or

(5)  Certification from the United States Departmentof Veterans Affairs or the state office of veterans' services that theapplicant is a combat veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam conflict, the Koreanconflict, World War II, or the Persian Gulf conflict.

(b)  The design of the plates for:

(1)  Purple heart recipients shall include the words"COMBAT WOUNDED";

(2)  Veterans shall include the word"VETERAN";

(3)  Pearl Harbor survivors shall include the words"PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR";

(4)  Former prisoners of war shall include the words"FORMER PRISONER OF WAR";

(5)  Combat veterans shall include the words"COMBAT VETERAN";

(6)  Veterans of the Vietnam conflict shall includethe words "VIETNAM VETERAN";

(7)  Veterans of the Korean conflict shall include thewords "KOREA VETERAN";

(8)  Veterans of World War II shall include the words"WORLD WAR II VETERAN"; and

(9)  Veterans of the Persian Gulf conflict shallinclude the words "PERSIAN GULF VETERAN".

These designations shall be imprinted on theleft side of the license plates in a manner similar to congressional andhonorary consul license plates.

(c)  Registration certificates and licenseplates issued under this section shall not be transferable to any otherperson.  Special number plates for military service shall be assigned to anoncommercial passenger motor vehicle, a noncommercial motorcycle, or motorscooter registered in the name of the qualified applicant and shall beavailable in any category of special number plates for military service.  Priorto the transfer of the ownership of the qualified person's vehicle to anotherparty, the special number plates shall be surrendered to the director offinance as a condition to the issuance of replacement special number plates;provided that the director of finance shall allow the survivor of the qualifiedperson, upon request, to retain the front special number plate as a memorial.

(d)  The director of finance shall authorizethe design of a license plate that is readily identifiable and distinguishableunder actual traffic conditions and shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 tocarry out this section. [L 1991, c 210, §2; am L 1996, c 85, §2 and c 86, §2;am L 1997, c 326, §3; am L 1999, c 208, §3; am L 2001, c 57, §1; am L 2002, c254, §1]

 

Cross References

 

  Special licenseplates for persons with disabilities, see §291‑51.5.