HB 5787 Connecticut House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING REIMBURSEMENT FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO JOIN A CHAPTER OF THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART AND RECEIVE A NUMBER PLATE RECOGNIZING THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART.

HB 5787 allows veterans and members of the U.S. Armed Forces to seek reimbursement from Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs for the membership fee paid to join the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). Specifically, those who join a MOPH chapter to obtain a special license plate recognizing the organization (issued on or after July 1, 2025) can apply for reimbursement of the membership cost, currently $200 for a lifetime membership. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs must process applications within 60 days and provide reimbursement if approved. This policy change directly affects eligible veterans and military members who choose to join MOPH to qualify for the special plate.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Mar 5, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Proposed Bill → Committee Bill · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from a Proposed Bill to a Committee Bill with a new LCO number, and the substantive text was restructured into formal statutory language. The core policy remains the same: reimbursing Purple Heart members for joining fees to get special license plates, but the language now includes detailed regulatory requirements for the Department of Motor Vehicles and clarifies the effective date as July 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a simple reimbursement mandate to include detailed regulatory authority for the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish standards for special number plates, including provisions for labor unions and collegiate plates.

REQUIREMENT

Added detailed regulatory requirements for the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish standards, qualifications, procedures, and fees for special number plates.

TIMELINE

Specified an effective date of July 1, 2025 for the reimbursement program and July 1, 2004 for the commissioner's authority to issue plates.

SCOPE

Expanded scope to include provisions for collegiate special number plates with logos or emblems of Connecticut public and independent institutions of higher education.

TECHNICAL

Changed document format from narrative bill text to formal statutory language with subsections and repeal language.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Joint Favorable

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors