55-4-245 - National Fraternal Order of Police members. - Tennessee Statutes

55-4-245. National Fraternal Order of Police members.

(a)  An owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who is a resident of this state and who is certified as a member of the National Fraternal Order of Police, upon complying with state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and paying the regular fee applicable to the motor vehicle and the fee provided for in § 55-4-203, shall be issued a registration plate for a motor vehicle authorized by § 55-4-210(c).

(b)  (1)  The application for these registration plates shall be accompanied by a statement from the National Fraternal Order of Police certifying the applicant to be a member of the organization.

     (2)  Only full-time paid or retired law enforcement officers or their spouses who are members of the National Fraternal Order of Police shall be permitted to receive the registration plates.

(c)  The registration plates provided for in this section shall be of the same design as the cultural plates authorized and issued pursuant to this section prior to July 1, 2009, bearing the inscription “FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE” or “FOP” and an appropriate standardized insignia of the organization.

(d)  (1)  Within thirty (30) days of terminating membership in the National Fraternal Order of Police, an applicant to whom a registration plate has been issued pursuant to this section shall surrender the plate to the county clerk of the county of the applicant's residence.

     (2)  The National Fraternal Order of Police shall provide biannually to the department the names and addresses of any persons who have terminated their membership in the National Fraternal Order of Police, together with any other identifying information as the commissioner may require.

(e)  Subject to the requirements of § 55-4-201, the commissioner is authorized and shall issue a license plate to an owner or lessee of a motorcycle who is otherwise eligible for a National Fraternal Order of Police plate; provided, however, that the owner or lessee shall comply with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motorcycles and shall pay the regular fee applicable to motorcycles and the applicable fee specified in § 55-4-203 prior to the issuance of the plate.

(f)  Funds produced from the sale of National Fraternal Order of Police new specialty earmarked license plates shall be allocated to the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police Charitable Foundation in accordance with § 55-4-215.

(g)  (1)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any person issued a Fraternal Order of Police cultural license plate authorized and issued pursuant to this section prior to July 1, 2009, 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 and payment of all required fees. The plates shall be considered new specialty earmarked plates upon their first renewal after July 1, 2009.

     (2)  For the purposes of § 55-4-201(h)(1), all license plates authorized or issued pursuant to subsections (a), (e) and (g) shall be jointly included in any determinations for initial issuance and continuation of issuance. If National Fraternal Order of Police new specialty earmarked plates are subsequently deemed obsolete pursuant to any provision of § 55-4-201(h)(1), such determination shall also apply to all former cultural plates previously issued pursuant to this section prior to July 1, 2009.

[Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1; 2001, ch. 233, § 8; 2009, ch. 589, § 21.]