(a) The purpose of this section is to honor the service of members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars by providing a special license plate that is available for issuance.
(b) It is found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the men and women who have served our country overseas and risked their lives to secure our freedom should be honored by the issuance of a free special license plate as provided under this subchapter.
(c) The Department of Finance and Administration is authorized to issue a Veterans of Foreign Wars special license plate to an applicant who establishes upon initial application that he or she, by membership card or Life Member card, is a member of the:
(1) Veterans of Foreign Wars;
(2) Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars;
(3) Men's Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars;
(4) Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars;
(5) Junior Girls of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars; or
(6) Sons of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
(d)
(1) The Department of Finance and Administration shall design the special license plate issued under this section in consultation with the Department of Arkansas Veterans of Foreign Wars.
(2) In place of the legend “The Natural State” at the bottom of the special license plate, a permanent decal shall be made available for a veteran of each conflict as authorized under § 27-24-204(a), upon proof as required under § 27-24-204 that the applicant is eligible to be issued the decal.
(e) An applicant who qualifies for a special license plate under subdivision (c)(1) of this section:
(1) Shall pay:
(A) A fundraising fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for the issuance and renewal of the first special license plate; and
(B) An annual fee not to exceed one dollar ($1.00) that the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration may charge for the issuance and renewal of the first special license plate; and
(2) May obtain and renew additional special license plates upon payment of a fundraising fee in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) and the fee for licensing a motor vehicle under § 27-14-601.
(f) An applicant who qualifies for a special license plate under subdivisions (c)(2)-(6) of this section shall pay a fundraising fee of ten dollars ($10.00) and the fee for licensing a motor vehicle as provided in § 27-14-601 for the issuance and renewal of any license plate issued under this subsection.
(g) The fundraising fee of ten dollars ($10.00) paid by any applicant on issuance or renewal of a special license plate under this section shall be remitted monthly to the Nick Bacon VFW Special Veterans Scholarship Fund.