Guam committee hears push to expand veteran license-plate designs, plans markup

The Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs met June 12 in Hagåtña to hear public testimony on Bill 5, which would expand Guam's veteran license plates to permit conflict-zone identifiers, branch-specific markings and earned-medal graphics, a committee member said.

Supporters and veterans organizations told the committee the changes would let veterans publicly display service details they consider meaningful. "This bill is another opportunity to honor and serve those who served with courage and bravery," Senator Joe St. Augustine wrote in prepared remarks read into the record by the chair.

Veterans and advocates said they back the bill but urged careful design work and consideration of costs. Roy Gamboa, president of nonprofit Gotcha 671, said the proposal is "very simple, straight to the point" and suggested the committee consider printed plastic plates to allow full images and reduce stamping costs. "That's an additional way, of course, to add graphics," Gamboa testified.

The director of the Guam Office of Veterans Affairs, Joe San Augustine, told senators his office will prioritize designs for Vietnam and Korean War plates and then work on other conflict-era designs. "We will do the leg work but we will get the input from many of these veterans," he said, adding his office will coordinate with Revenue and Taxation on production and any fiscal impact.

Senator Sean Gumatauta noted a fiscal note from the Bureau of Budget and Management Research (BBMR) and said BBMR anticipated a fiscal impact to the general fund because of manufacturing costs but could not quantify it without data from the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT) and the Office of Veterans Affairs. Gumatauta also asked whether Prison Industries (9 GCA, Art. 4) could produce plates locally; the director said equipment costs are high and recommended further study if the committee wishes to explore local production.

Committee members and testifiers discussed operational details now reflected in existing law, including vetting eligibility through the Veterans Affairs Office (for example, DD-214 verification) and the current special-recognition plate program that includes Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart icons. Witnesses and the director said the system would continue to display branch identifiers (for example, "MC" for Marine Corps) and maintain plate numeration and readability, while adding a left-hand printed panel for optional graphics or medal symbols.

No formal vote was taken. The committee agreed to move Bill 5 to a markup hearing and to try to place it on the July legislative session agenda; staff and the director were asked to coordinate draft designs with veterans groups and to collect information from DRT and BBMR on production, costs and implementation logistics.

The committee accepted written testimony through June 26 and noted that Revenue and Taxation will submit written comments; Marie Lizama (DRT) had notified the committee she would provide written testimony.

Questions and follow-up items raised during the hearing included: how many veteran plates are produced annually and at what cost under the current metal-stamping process; whether printed plastic plates would reduce long-term costs; how the office will handle veterans who qualify for multiple campaign identifiers; and whether veterans would be able to select their graphic or be assigned a single approved design per conflict.

The committee indicated it would seek input from the Guam Veterans Commission and veterans organizations during the markup process and to clarify fiscal effects before final action.