TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today creating a special license plate design to honor families of members of the military killed in action. The Gold Star Families license plate will feature an American flag with a gold star on top. "The families who survive have to live with the pain and the suffering along with the pride...
Gov. Christie signed legislation creating a special license plate designed to honor families of military members killed in the line of duty. TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today creating a special license plate design to honor families of members of the military killed in action.
The Gold Star Families license plate will feature an American flag with a gold star on top.
"The families who survive have to live with the pain and the suffering along with the pride and the honor of being a Gold Star family," Christie said.
Gold Stars are awarded by the Department of Defense whenever a member of the military is killed in action.
Eligibility for the plates will be determined by the Gold Star Mothers organization, according to the governor’s office. The Motor Vehicle Commission will not charge an additional fee for recipients of the plates.
New Jersey was one of the last states to approve a Gold Star plate. According to the American Gold Star Mothers group, only three other states don’t have a Gold Star plate.
Christie was joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers as well as veterans organizations from across the state during the signing ceremony today.
"Nothing we can do can help parents overcome the loss of a child, but at the very least we can do this to honor those who lost a child on active duty," said Assembly Jack Conners (D-Burlington), chairman of the Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. "This is a way to offer our condolences and gratitude to families who have made the ultimate sacrifice."