A. The department shall issue distinctive registration plates indicating that the recipient is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States or is retired from the national guard or military reserves if that person submits proof satisfactory to the department of honorable discharge from the armed forces or of retirement from the national guard or military reserves.

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B. For a fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00), which is in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fees, any motor vehicle owner who is a veteran of the armed forces of the United States or is retired from the national guard or military reserves may apply for the issuance of a special registration plate, as defined in Subsection A of this section. No two owners shall be issued identically lettered or numbered plates.

C. The fifteen-dollar ($15.00) fee provided in Subsection B of this section shall be waived for each registration period in which a validating sticker is issued under the provisions of Section 66-3-17 N.M. Stat. Ann., in lieu of the issuance of a special armed forces veteran plate.

D. Each armed forces veteran may elect to receive a veteran-designation decal to be placed across the top of the plate, centered above the registration number. Replacement or different veteran-designation decals shall be available for purchase from the department at a reasonable charge to be set by the secretary. The department shall furnish the following veteran-designation decals with the armed forces veteran plate to a:

(1)     medal of honor recipient; (2)     silver star recipient;

(3)     bronze star recipient; (4)     navy cross recipient;

(5)     distinguished service cross recipient; (6)     air force cross recipient;

(7)     armed forces air medal recipient; (8)     ex-prisoner of war;

(9)     disabled veteran; (10)    purple heart veteran; (11)    atomic veteran;

(12)    Pearl Harbor survivor; (13)    Navajo code talker; (14)    Vietnam veteran;

(15)    Korean veteran;

(16)    disabled Korean veteran; (17)    World War II veteran;

(18)    World War I veteran; (19)    Grenada veteran; (20)    Panama veteran;

(21)    Desert Storm veteran; or

(22)    Iraqi Freedom veteran.

E. The revenue from the special registration plates for the armed forces veterans fee imposed by Subsection B of this section shall be distributed as follows:

(1)     seven dollars ($7.00) of the fee collected for each registration plate shall be retained by the department and is appropriated to the department for the manufacture and issuance of the registration plates; and

(2)     eight dollars ($8.00) of the fee collected for each registration plate shall be transferred pursuant to the provisions of Subsection F of this section.

F. There is created in the state treasury the “armed forces veterans license fund”. A portion of the fee collected for each special registration plate for armed forces veterans, as provided in Subsection E of this section, shall be transferred to the state treasurer for the credit of the fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be made on vouchers issued and signed by the secretary of veterans’ services or the secretary’s authorized representative upon warrants drawn by the department of finance and administration for the purpose of expanding services to rural areas of the state, including Native American communities and senior citizen centers. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of any fiscal year in the armed forces veterans license fund shall not revert to the general fund.

G. A person shall not falsely represent that the person was honorably discharged from the armed forces or retired from the national guard or military reserves so as to be eligible to be issued a special registration plate pursuant to this section. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a penalty assessment misdemeanor.