House Republican Press Release

May 14, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REPUBLICAN ‘SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!’ LICENSE PLATE APPROVED BY HOUSE, SENATE

HARTFORD – Republicans today pushed through a “Support our Troops!’’ license plate that will generate much needed funds for veterans’ programs when the House of Representatives unanimously adopted the measure on the final day of the legislative session.

The Senate later also approved the bill that will be presented to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for final approval   

A portion of the $60 fee for the special plate will be deposited into a dedicated account within the state budget and funds will be used by Support Our Troops Inc., for programs to assist troops, families of troops and veterans. Other special plates such as the one dedicated to helping clean up Long Island Sound have generated millions of dollars over the years.

“We are very proud to vote in favor of our “Support Our Troops!” license plate today,’’ said House Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. “We know that this effort will help troops and their families as well as all state veterans who need our support. We fully appreciate the commitment and sacrifice that these brave men and woman have made in our behalf.

The license plate initiative was part of an omnibus motor vehicle bill that the House unanimously approved. Ironically, the legislative “vehicle’’ that was used to pass the omnibus bill was Cafero’s original bill designed to punish motorists who fail to clear their cars of potentially dangerous snow and ice.

Those provisions were stripped from Cafero’s original bill and replaced with the various motor vehicle provisions that had nothing to do with snow and ice.