(a) Each motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in accordance with section 14-36 and each identity card issued by said commissioner in accordance with section 1-1h shall contain the following: (1) The person’s full legal name; (2) the person’s date of birth; (3) the person’s gender; (4) the person’s height and eye color; (5) the person’s assigned operator’s license or identity card number; (6) the person’s address of principal residence in this state; (7) the person’s signature; (8) the person’s photograph or digital image; and (9) if applicable, the person’s status as a veteran, as provided in subsection (e) of this section.

(b) If any person does not reside in any state, territory or possession of the United States because such person is on active military duty with the United States Armed Forces, and such person’s home state of record is Connecticut, as reflected in the records of the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security or any department under which the United States Coast Guard operates, such person may obtain a Connecticut operator’s license or identity card, provided such person: (1) Does not have an operator’s license or identity card issued by another state, territory or possession of the United States, or surrenders any such license or identity card; (2) has a current APO or FPO mailing address; (3) designates such person’s home address as 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161; and (4) meets all other requirements for obtaining an operator’s license or identity card in this state.

(c) The commissioner shall provide that each such license or identity card document contains physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting or duplication of the document.

(d) Each such document shall also contain one or more machine-readable technology feature or component, including, but not limited to, a bar code or magnetic strip.

(e) Any person who is a veteran may submit a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to have his or her status as a veteran contained on his or her motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card. Said department shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such request, verify whether such person is a veteran and, if so, notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of such request and verification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall indicate such person’s status as a veteran on any motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card issued to such person upon original issuance or renewal of a motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card or upon issuance of a duplicate motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card.

(f) As used in this section: (1) “Full legal name” means the most complete version of the name that appears on a person’s certificate of birth, official passport or other document or documents accepted by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to verify the person’s identity, unless the person presents a marriage license or certificate, a certificate of civil union, a divorce decree or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction pertaining to a permanent change of the person’s name; and (2) “veteran” means any person honorably discharged from, or released under honorable conditions from active service in, the armed forces, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, and any former member of the armed forces who is entitled to retirement pay under 10 USC Chapter 1223, as amended from time to time, or, but for age, would be so entitled.

(P.A. 07-167, S. 18; P.A. 11-68, S. 1; P.A. 11-213, S. 15; P.A. 13-271, S. 12; P.A. 16-167, S. 19; P.A. 17-83, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 11-68 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (9) re status as a veteran, added new Subsec. (d) re status as veteran contained on motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (e) and amended same by adding definition of “veteran” and making a technical change, effective January 1, 2013; P.A. 11-213 added new Subsec. (b) re issuance of license or identity card to persons on active military duty and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (c), (d) and (e); (Revisor’s note: In 2013, the Revisors redesignated the version of Subsec. (d) added by P.A. 11-68 as Subsec. (e), redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f) and made conforming changes editorially in order to reconcile the amendments made by P.A. 11-68 with the amendments made by P.A. 11-213); P.A. 13-271 amended Subsec. (a)(8) to delete “color” re photograph, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 16-167 amended Subsec. (e) to replace “Department of Veterans’ Affairs” with “Department of Veterans Affairs”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-83 amended Subsec. (f)(2) to redefine “veteran”.