§32-6-630. Issuance of distinctive plates; fees; design.

(a) Notwithstanding Sections 32-6-64, 32-6-67, and 32-6-68, a distinctive license plate category shall be established entitled "Alabama Gold Star Family." The distinctive plates shall be issued, printed, and processed in the same manner as other distinctive plates provided for in this chapter.

(b) Any member of the immediate family of a person who died while on active duty of any branch of the United States military may apply to the judge of probate or other county license plate issuing official, present documentation pursuant to subsection (c), pay the required motor vehicle license fees and taxes as provided by law for license plates for private passenger, pickup trucks, or pleasure motor vehicles, and pay an additional fee of three dollars ($3) for the initial issuance of the plate and be issued the "Alabama Gold Star Family" distinctive license plate. Payment of required license fees and taxes for the years during which a new tag or plate is not issued shall be evidenced as provided for in Section 32-6-63.

(c) The following documents shall be presented to the judge of probate or other county license plate issuing official to receive the "Alabama Gold Star Family" distinctive license plate:

(1) DD Form 2064 - Overseas Death Certificate or prior era Department of Defense death certificate; or

(2) DD Form 1300 - Report of Casualty.

(3) In the event that the applicant is not identified as the next of kin on one of the documents listed in subsection (c) (1) and (2), the applicant must also submit a notarized affidavit obtained from the Alabama Gold Star Family Organization, certifying applicant's relationship to the deceased service member.

(d) The "Alabama Gold Star Family" distinctive license plate shall be designed by the Alabama Gold Star Family Organization and approved by the Department of Revenue.

(e) As used in this section, the phrase member of the immediate family shall mean all of the following:

(1) A spouse.

(2) A parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent.

(3) A foster parent in loco parentis.

(4) A sibling, to include whole or half-blood, or by adoption.

(5) A child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild.

(6) Grandparent or other legal guardian.

(7) Any other immediate family members designated as next of kin by the Department of Defense.

(f) The Department of Revenue may promulgate any rules necessary to administer the provisions of this section.

(Act 2009-595, p. 1752, §§1, 2.)