Gold Star Mother license plates have been available in New York since 1991. Plates for many other military-related distinctions and organizations are available. You can order plates for everything else from zodiac signs, to bluebirds, and even for those against eating meat. Still, there is no plate in NY for family members who lost a loved one in the ultimate sacrifice to our country – Gold Star Families.
One man is trying to change that: Adam DeMarscio.
Adam wants to honor his brother, Army Spc. Michael DeMarscio, who was killed by an IED in Afghanistan in 2012. When he moved to Cohoes, New York, from Massachusetts and went to register his car, he was surprised to learn that the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not offer a Gold Star Family license plate.
Adam is now on a mission to have a Gold Star Family plate available here in New York. He described his car in Massachusetts as a “rolling tribute” to his brother and he wanted that to be the case for him, his family, and every other Gold Star Family in New York if that’s what they want.
Frank Sanzone, Commander of VFW Memorial Post 400 in Farmingdale is all on board. Sanzone said, “My post is named after two servicemen who were killed in action. It seems absurd that only their mothers could get a special plate, but no other family member can. This needs to be changed, yesterday!” Post 400 is named after Jason Santora and Louis Bonacasa.
“It may seem like a little thing, a license plate, and it is a little thing. But that little thing becomes a big deal when you see it every day and others see it too and remember your loved one. It means a lot to those left behind. It really does,” added Sanzone.
There are two ways to get a special plate made in New York and both are difficult. You can get an application for a “Custom Plate Development” from the New York DMV and start there. The application is straightforward and not long, it tells you all the specifications for dos and don'ts for slogans and artwork, and it is expensive.
For the State DMV to begin developing your special plate you must pony up a $6,000 performance bond. If your design sells 200 plates within 24 months, you get your $6,000 back. There is good reason for this. It takes a fair amount of effort, time, and taxpayer expense to develop and make a new license plate. The state does need to have some barrier to make sure a plate idea has some interest group that will buy them – otherwise a lot of taxpayer money would be wasted on plates for causes with a very small special interest group and maybe even a group of one.
None of this is an issue for large interest groups like Lovers of the Adirondacks, police and firemen, or Vietnam Veterans. But, for smaller, very special groups, such as families whose loved one was killed in the service of our nation, this surety bond is a substantial impediment. That’s where the second way to get a plate comes in – getting legislative sponsors and passing a bill through both the Senate and Assembly. This is the route Adam DeMarscio is taking for the Gold Star Family plate.
Senate Bill S1835 (A2062), sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo (R-C-53) would amend existing vehicle and traffic law to provide for “distinctive license plates for gold star family members” and eliminate the registration fee for gold star mother and gold star family member license plates. The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Jacob Ashby (R-43) and George Borrello (R-C-57)
Sen. Griffo said in a conversation with South Shore Press, “This bill is important to the families of those service members who lost their lives in the service of our nation. There should be nothing controversial about passing this legislation. It’s something we can easily do to impact the lives of those left behind who want to honor their much-loved family member in this small way.”
Griffo added, “This is a no-brainer. It should have passed immediately. It should not be a partisan issue. If it's a matter of credit, we will hand it off. The important thing here is not the credit, it’s about getting it done. Let’s do it, now!”
Currently, there is only a Gold Star Mother license plate allowed under the law. The amendment adds the language “or any gold star father or the spouse of a gold star father, or the widow or widower of a fallen service member, or any child, step-child, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, or grandparent of a fallen service member…”
Adam has lots of support for his effort. The plate has sponsors in both the state Senate and Assembly and bills have been written and introduced. That’s where things stalled earlier this year. The bills were sent to the Transportation Committee in both houses and there they sit. No debate, no vote, no action.
This doesn’t sit well with many legislators and veterans. “People can get vanity license plates that say practically anything, but we have to jump through hoops to get this for Gold Star Families,” commented Senator Dean Murray. “Like Gold Star Mothers, the families of our military heroes should have this special recognition.”
“Bottling up the bill to acknowledge the sacrifices of Gold Star Families is unfortunate,” said Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano. “In addition to giving them their own special license plates, we should honor and thank them every chance we get.”
"Gold Star Families are very deserving of this recognition," said Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. "There's no reason to hold it up. Once we're back in Albany, I'll push my colleagues to get this done."
During the process, DeMarscio partnered with Ethan Craft, a self-described license plate enthusiast, who designed the mock-up of the Gold Star Family plate.