It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-48 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 31-3-48. Plates for recipients of purple heart. -- ADD} The registrar of motor vehicles is hereby empowered to make available to recipients of the purple heart medal a special motor vehicle registration plate indicating same. The applicant shall be required to pay a {ADD registration fee ADD} {DEL or service charge of ten dollars ($10.00) DEL} and a transfer charge of five dollars ($5.00) for said plate.

That said plate shall contain the words "combat wounded" across the top of the plate and shall have an insignia for the purple heart and be followed by the letters PH, followed by a numeral or numerals. Said purple heart insignia may be reproduced on said plate in the color purple.

Any person issued a plate under this section prior to [July 31, 1989] shall be entitled to a reimbursement in the amount of seven dollars ($7.00) upon application therefor. Upon the death of the holder of any purple heart plates, said plates shall be transferred to his or her surviving spouse for his or her lifetime until he or she remarries.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.