SPRINGFIELD – The governor has signed into law a measure sponsored by State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) that creates a Folds of Honor license plate for families of service members who died in the line of duty.

“Creating a personalized license plate in Illinois is an easy way for people to pay tribute to the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and support a terrific organization,” Bennett said. “Under this new law, Folds of Honor will be able to multiply the number of academic scholarships for spouses and children of fallen or disabled service members.”

Bennett’s legislation creates the Folds of Honor Foundation Fund, which would provide educational scholarships to military families. The plan allows motorists to purchase a specialty license plate decal to contribute to Folds of Honor through the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. The cost of each specialized plate decal is $25, a portion of which goes directly to the fund. 

“With the significant sacrifices our service members make, I’m proud to see our state support the mission of Folds of Honor and ensure our military families are taken care of under this law,” Bennett said.

The legislation – House Bill 1915 – was signed into law Sunday and takes effect immediately.