Tennessee § 55-4-260 - Bronze Star (Meritorious) and Air Medal (Meritorious) recipients.

§ 55-4-260. Bronze Star (Meritorious) and Air Medal (Meritorious) recipients.

A recipient of the Bronze Star (Meritorious) or the Air Medal (Meritorious) who is a resident of this state and who is an owner or lessee of a motor vehicle, upon complying with state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles and upon paying the regular registration fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111, and the fee provided for in § 55-4-204(c)(1), shall be issued a distinctive Air Medal (Meritorious) or Bronze Star (Meritorious) motor vehicle registration plate, as appropriate, for a motor vehicle authorized by § 55-4-210(c). The Bronze Star (Meritorious) plates provided for in this section shall include an identification legend distinctive to recipients of the Bronze Star (Meritorious). The legend shall read “Bronze Star — Meritorious.” The registration number of the plate shall include the letters “BSM” and a unique identifying number. The Air Medal (Meritorious) plates provided for in this section shall include an identification legend distinctive to recipients of the Air Medal (Meritorious). The legend shall read “Air Medal — Meritorious.” The registration number of the plate shall include the letters “REM” and a unique identifying number. Eligibility for Air Medal (Meritorious) plates and Bronze Star (Meritorious) plates shall be determined by the department by consulting the appropriate information on the DD214 form, or in a case of military service predating 1950, in consultation with appropriate information on the equivalent form or on other official documentation, or a written communication from the department of veterans services, the form, documentation or communication certifying that the application for the plate is submitted by a recipient of the Bronze Star (Meritorious) or the Air Medal (Meritorious), as appropriate. Any Air Medal (Meritorious or Valor) license plate issued to any recipient of the Air Medal prior to May 13, 2013, shall not be subject to the regular registration fee and shall be free of charge pursuant to § 55-4-204(b). Any Air Medal license plate initially issued to any recipient of the Air Medal (Meritorious) on or after May 13, 2013, shall be military cultural plates on and after such date; provided, that the plate shall be subject to the regular registration fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111, and the fee provided for in § 55-4-204(c)(1). Any Air Medal license plates initially issued to any recipient of the Air Medal (Valor) on or after May 13, 2013, and prior to May 19, 2014, shall be memorial plates upon their first renewal on or after May 13, 2013; provided, that the plates shall not be subject to the regular registration fee and shall be free of charge pursuant to § 55-4-204(b). Any Air Medal license plates initially issued to any recipient of the Air Medal (Valor) on or after May 19, 2014, shall be memorial plates on and after May 19, 2014; provided, that the plates shall not be subject to the regular registration fee and shall be free of charge pursuant to § 55-4-204(b). Any Silver Star or Bronze Star (Valor) plates issued prior to May 19, 2014, shall be considered memorial plates upon their first renewal on or after May 19, 2014; provided, that such plates shall not be subject to the regular registration fee and shall be free of charge pursuant to § 55-4-204(b). Acts 2002, ch. 876, § 6; 2007, ch. 484, § 51; 2013, ch. 318, §§ 10-12; 2014, ch. 966, §§ 1, 8, 9; 2015, ch. 24, § 7; 2018, ch. 1023, § 49; T.C.A. § 55-4-231 . Compiler's Notes. Former part 2 of this chapter, concerning special plates, was repealed and reenacted by Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1, effective July 1, 1998. The former provisions, excluding those previously repealed by other acts, were §§ 55-4-201 — 55-4-272 and 55-4-275 (Acts 1984, ch. 966, §§ 1, 9; 1985, ch. 56, §§ 1, 2; 1985, ch. 95, § 1; 1985, ch. 402, §§ 1-11; 1987, ch. 172, §§ 1-5; 1987, ch. 228, §§ 1-11; 1987, ch. 336, §§ 1-3, 5; 1987, ch. 434, § 2; 1988, ch. 575, § 1; 1988, ch. 618, §§ 1, 2; 1988, ch. 687, §§ 1-4; 1988, ch. 781, §§ 1-3; 1988, ch. 810, §§ 1-4; 1988, ch. 864, §§ 1-4; 1989, ch. 16, §§ 3, 4; 1989, ch. 136, § 1; 1989, ch. 158, § 1; 1989, ch. 501, § 1; 1989, ch. 591, § 6; 1990, ch. 871, § 1; 1990, ch. 897, § 1; 1990, ch. 925, §§ 1-4; 1991, ch. 209, §§ 1, 2; 1991, ch. 244, §§ 1, 2; 1991, ch. 450, §§ 1-3; 1991, ch. 482, §§ 1-12; 1992, ch. 543, §§ 1, 2; 1992, ch. 737, §§ 1-3; 1992, ch. 846, §§ 1-3; 1992, ch. 1008, §§ 1, 2; 1993, ch. 66, § 72; 1993, ch. 105, §§ 1-4; 1993, ch. 106, § 1; 1993, ch. 128, § 1; 1993, ch. 145, § 1; 1993, ch. 236, §§ 1-6; 1993, ch. 314, § 1; 1993, ch. 446, §§ 1-3; 1993, ch. 529, § 6; 1994, ch. 624, §§ 1-3; 1994, ch. 637, §§ 1-4; 1994, ch. 665, §§ 1-3; 1994, ch. 879, §§ 1-19; 1994, ch. 930, §§ 1-3; 1994, ch. 959, § 1; 1994, ch. 999, §§ 1-5; 1995, ch. 56, § 1; 1995, ch. 82, §§ 1, 2; 1995, ch. 84, §§ 1, 2; 1995, ch. 122, §§ 1-3; 1995, ch. 132, § 2; 1995, ch. 173, §§ 1, 2; 1995, ch. 195, § 1; 1995, ch. 199, § 1; 1995, ch. 335, §§ 1, 2; 1995, ch. 399, §§ 1-3; 1996, ch. 615, §§ 1-3; 1996, ch. 658, §§ 1-3; 1996, ch. 672, §§ 1-5; 1996, ch. 673, §§ 1-3; 1996, ch. 759, § 1; 1996, ch. 854, §§ 1-5; 1996, ch. 914, §§ 1-5; 1996, ch. 963, §§ 1-4; 1996, ch. 965, §§ 1-4; 1996, ch. 971, §§ 1-4; 1996, ch. 994, §§ 1-4; 1996, ch. 1024, §§ 1-4; 1996, ch. 1030, §§ 1-5; 1996, ch. 1047, §§ 1-4). In view of § 55-4-201(c)(1) [now § 55-4-202(c)(1) ], former § 55-4-231 (Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1) was deleted as obsolete and invalid by the Code Commission in 2000, as the Shriners plates named in this section continued to fail to meet the minimum requirements for existence. Acts 2002, ch. 876, § 64 provided that the provisions of § 55-4-201(f) [now § 55-4-202(f) ], shall not apply to that act. Acts 2002, ch. 876, § 65 provided that the commissioner of safety is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of that act. All such rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. Acts 2013, ch. 318, § 13, as amended by Acts 2014, ch. 966, § 28, provided that notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any person issued an Air Medal memorial license plate prior to June 21, 2013, shall be entitled to retain the plate for vehicular use upon compliance with all motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles. Any Air Medal military cultural plates initially issued to any recipient of the Air Medal (Meritorious) on or after May 13, 2013, shall be subject to the regular registration fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111 , and the fee provided for in § 55-4-203(c)(1) [now [now § 55-4-204(c)(1) ]. Any Air Medal military cultural plates initially issued to any recipient of the Air Medal (Valor) on or after May 13, 2013, and prior to May 19, 2014, shall be memorial plates upon their first renewal on or after May 13, 2013; provided, that the plates shall not be subject to the regular registration fee and shall be free of charge pursuant to § 55-4-203(b) [now § 55-4-204(b) ]. Acts 2014, ch. 966, § 29 provided that notwithstanding title 55, chapter 4, any person issued a Handicapped Veteran, Legion of Valor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, or Air Medal license plate prior to May 19, 2014, shall be entitled to retain the license plate for vehicular use upon compliance with all motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles. Acts 2015, ch. 24, § 7 provided that the Tennessee Code Commission is requested to change references in Tennessee Code Annotated, as volumes are replaced and supplements are issued, from “veterans’ affairs” and “veterans affairs” to “veterans services” wherever the language appears in reference to the name or commissioner of the Tennessee department of veterans services.