Committee accepts amendment to add folded-flag veteran symbol to state IDs

The Veterans and Military Development Committee accepted an amendment to House Bill 632 at its meeting, moving the bill forward after its first hearing.

Representative Moore moved Amendment 1771 and told the committee the change ‘‘revises the language of the bill to align with the federal eligibility guidelines for a folded military burial flag symbol on a driver's license or state identification card.’’ She said the amendment creates a next-of-kin designation so a surviving spouse who has not remarried, or an eligible parent, child, brother or sister, can obtain the symbol and that it renames the gold star family symbol to the folded-flag symbol. The amendment also directs the register to determine size and placement when the designation is inscribed, and requires rules for documentation of next-of-kin status.

Chair Richardson put the question on the motion and, without objection, the committee agreed to the amendment and accepted it. The chair then closed the first hearing on House Bill 632.

The committee did not take a roll-call vote on the bill at this meeting; the amendment passed by unanimous consent during the hearing, and members were reminded that full written testimony and the amendment text are available on the committee iPads.