(1) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall create and maintain a registry of residents of Nebraska who meet the requirements for:

(a) Gold Star Family license plates under section 60-3,122.02;

(b) Military Honor Plates under section 60-3,122.04;

(c) Prisoner-of-war license plates under section 60-3,123;

(d) Disabled veteran license plates under section 60-3,124;

(e) Purple Heart license plates under section 60-3,125; and

(f) A veteran designation on an operator's license or a state identification card under section 60-4,189.

(2) The Department of Veterans' Affairs may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations governing the establishment and maintenance of the registry. The registry may be used to assist the department in carrying out the duties of the department and shall provide for the collection of sufficient information to identify an individual who qualifies for a license plate or designation listed in subsection (1) of this section. The registry may include information such as identifying information on an individual, an individual's records on active duty or reserve duty in the armed forces of the United States, or an individual's status of active duty, reserve duty, retired, discharged, or other.

(3) Any resident of Nebraska who meets the requirements for a license plate or designation listed in subsection (1) of this section shall register with the Department of Veterans' Affairs using the registry created by this section before being eligible for such license plate or designation. No person shall be deemed eligible until his or her status has been verified on the registry.

(4) The Department of Motor Vehicles may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations governing use of the registry of the Department of Veterans' Affairs for determination of eligibility for a license plate or designation listed in subsection (1) of this section.

(5) The eligibility requirements described in section 60-4,189 that are used in determining eligibility for a veteran designation on an operator's license or a state identification card shall apply only for purposes of such section and shall not apply in determining veteran status for any other purpose.