HB72ENGROSSED
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HB72
C9IPWWQ-2
By Representative Whorton
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 04-Feb-25
PFD: 04-Dec-24
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PFD: 04-Dec-24
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to motor vehicle registration; to amend
Sections 32-6-271 and 32-6-280, Code of Alabama 1975, to
increase the fees for volunteer and professional firefighter
distinctive motor vehicle license plates and to provide for
the distribution of the fees collected.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 32-6-271 and 32-6-280, Code of
Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§32-6-271
(a) A firefighter, upon application and subject to this
division, may be issued a distinctive motor vehicle license
plate as identification as a firefighter. In addition to the
proper numbers, words, and insignias used on the standard
license plate issued for motor vehicles, the distinctive
plates issued to firefighters shall bear a red Maltese cross
emblem on each side to the left and right of the regular tag
numbers. The words word "Fire Fighter" should be centered at
the bottom of the license plate.
(b) In addition to any other fees provided for by law,
an annual additional fee of one dollar ($1.00) ten dollars
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an annual additional fee of one dollar ($1.00) ten dollars
($10) is added to the cost of the firefighter distinctive
license plate provided for in this division , effective January
1, 2022. The annual additional fee collected pursuant to this
section shall be distributed by each licensing official to the
state Comptroller, less the commission provided in Section
40-12-269(a)(1). The state Comptroller shall distribute the
total net proceeds monthly as follows:
(1) Fifty cents ($.50) Fifteen percent (15%) shall be
deposited into a fund managed by the Alabama Joint Fire
Council and shall be used for the purpose of expanding and
maintaining the Alabama Firefighter Memorial located in
Tuscaloosa.
(2) Fifty cents ($.50) Fifteen percent (15%) shall be
distributed to the Alabama Joint Fire Council to be used for
expenses associated with the Firefighter Peer Support Program.
(3) Thirty-five percent (35%) shall be distributed to
the board of the Alabama Firefighters Annuity and Benefit
Fund.
(4) Thirty-five percent (35%) shall be distributed to
the secretary-treasurer of the State of Alabama Firefighters
Emergency Relief Fund.
(c) The funds generated by this the additional fee in
subsection (b) shall be subject to audit from either the
Department of Examiners of Public Accounts or an independent
certified public accountant once every three calendar years
effective January 1, 2022 ."
"§32-6-280
(a) As used in this section division, the following
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(a) As used in this section division, the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) Professional firefighter PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER.
means aA paid member of a paid or part-paid fire department of
a city, town, county, or other subdivision of the state,
including the chief, assistant chief, warden, engineer,
captain, firemen firefighters, and all other officers and
employees of the department who actually engage in fire
fighting firefighting or rendering first aid at the scene of
an accident.
(2) Retired professional firefighter RETIRED
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER. means aA retired member of a paid or
part-paid fire department of a city, town, county, or other
subdivision of the state, including the chief, assistant
chief, warden, engineer, captain, firemen firefighters, and
all other officers and employees of the department who
actually engaged in fire fighting firefighting or rendering
first aid at the scene of an accident. Notwithstanding any
other provision of this division, retired professional
firefighter the term includes a retired professional
firefighter who is a resident of this state and who has
retired from a professional fire department in another state
and otherwise meets the requirements of this sectiondivision.
(b)(1) Notwithstanding Sections 32-6-64, 32-6-67, and
32-6-68, a professional firefighter or a retired professional
firefighter, upon application and subject to the provisions of
this section division, may be issued a distinctive motor
vehicle license plate as identification as a professional
firefighter or a retired professional firefighter , and a
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firefighter or a retired professional firefighter , and a
professional firefighter, upon application and subject to this
section, may be issued a distinctive motor vehicle license
plate as identification as a professional firefighter .
(2) In addition to the proper numbers, words, and
insignias used on the standard license plate issued for motor
vehicles, the distinctive plates so license plate issued for a
retired professional firefighter shall have a design created
by the state association of professional firefighters in
coordination with the Mobile Retired Firefighters and
Paramedics Association and the Tuscaloosa Retired Firefighters
Association, and the distinctive license plate so issued for a
professional firefighter shall have a design created by the
state association of professional firefighters.
(c)(1) The distinctive license plates provided herein
shall be approved by the Commissioner of Revenue and shall be
issued through the judge of probate, license commissioner, or
other license issuing official of the several counties of the
state in the same manner as are other motor vehicle license
plates, and the officers shall be entitled to their regular
fees for the service.
(2) By December 1 of each year, the Firefighters'
Personnel Standards and Education Commission shall submit to
the judge of probate, the license commissioner, or other
license issuing official of each county a list of eligible
professional firefighters and retired professional
firefighters retired from paid or part-paid fire departments
under this section . The Firefighters' Personnel Standards and
Education Commission shall also add to the list any retired
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Education Commission shall also add to the list any retired
professional firefighter retired from a paid or part-paid fire
department in from another state who submits proof to the
commission of eligibility pursuant to this division. The
Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission
shall also submit to the judge of probate, the license
commissioner, or other license issuing official of each county
a list of eligible professional firefighters from paid or
part-paid fire departments.
(3) Any person individual who joins a paid or part-paid
fire department after December 1 of any year or any person
individual who is omitted from the list prepared as described
in subdivision (2) may obtain a distinctive license plate by
presenting to the license issuing official proof of his or her
membership in a paid or part-paid fire department by means of
a certificate signed by the chief of the department on a form
prescribed by the Firefighters' Personnel Standards and
Education Commission.
(4) Upon the initial application for a retired
professional firefighter distinctive license plate under this
section, an applicant for a distinctive license plate provided
in this section shall present to the judge of probate, the
license commissioner, or other license issuing official of the
county, proof of his or her retirement from a fire department
that is included on the list provided by the Firefighters'
Personnel Standards and Education Commission. Proof of the
person's individual's retirement from a fire department
included on the that list from the Firefighters' Personnel
Standards and Education Commission is not required for renewal
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Standards and Education Commission is not required for renewal
of the distinctive license plate.
(5) Upon the applicant submitting proof of his or her
identification, the professional firefighter or retired
professional firefighter shall be issued the requested number
of distinctive license plates upon the payment of the regular
fee for license plates, as provided by law , but shall not be
required to pay the three dollar ($3) fee .
(6) Upon the applicant submitting proof of his or her
identification, the retired professional firefighter shall be
issued the requested number of distinctive license plates upon
the payment of the regular license fee for plates, as provided
by law, but shall not be required to pay the three dollar ($3)
fee.
(7)(6) The distinctive license plates so issued shall
be used only upon and for personally owned, private passenger
vehicles, to include station wagons and pick-up trucks,
registered in the name of the retired professional firefighter
or professional firefighter making application therefor , and
when so issued to the applicant shall be used upon the vehicle
for which issued in lieu of the standard license plates
normally issued for the vehicle.
(8)a.(7)a. In addition to any other fees provided for
by law, an annual additional fee of oneten dollars ($1.00)
($10) is added to the cost of the retired professional
firefighter and the professional firefighter distinctive
license plates provided for in this division , effective
January 1, 2022. The annual additional fee collected pursuant
to this section paragraph shall be distributed by each
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to this section paragraph shall be distributed by each
licensing official to the state Comptroller, less the
commission provided in Section 40-12-269(a)(1). The state
Comptroller shall distribute the total net proceeds monthly as
follows:
1. Fifty cents ($.50) Fifteen percent (15%) shall be
deposited into a fund managed by the Alabama Joint Fire
Council and shall be used for the purpose of expanding and
maintaining the Alabama Firefighter Memorial located in
Tuscaloosa.
2. Fifty cents ($.50) Fifteen percent (15%) shall be
distributed to the Alabama Joint Fire Council to be used for
expenses associated with the Firefighter Peer Support Program.
3. Thirty-five percent (35%) shall be distributed to
the board of the Alabama Firefighters Annuity and Benefit
fund.
4. Thirty-five percent (35%) shall be distributed to
the secretary-treasurer of the State of Alabama Firefighters
Emergency Relief Fund.
b. The funds generated by this the additional fee shall
be subject to audit from either the Department of Examiners of
Public Accounts or an independent certified public accountant
once every three calendar years effectiveJanuary 1, 2022.
(9)(8) Anyone who is proven to have either falsely
obtained or certified an individual to obtain a distinctive
professional firefighter or retired professional firefighter
license plate or a distinctive professional firefighter
license plate shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor , and
upon conviction, shall be punished according to law .
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upon conviction, shall be punished according to law .
(d) Retired professional firefighters firefighter
distinctive license plates and professional firefighter
distinctive license plates as provided by this section shall
be prepared and furnished for the licensing year commencing
January 1, 2012, and thereafter as is provided by law for the
issuance of other license plates. Professional firefighters
distinctive license plates as provided by this section shall
be prepared and furnished for the licensing year commencing
January 1, 2016, and thereafter as is provided by law for the
issuance of other license plates.
(e) The Department of Revenue may adopt any rules
necessary to administer this section division."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on January
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
House of Representatives
Read for the first time and referred
to the House of Representatives
committee on Ways and Means General
Fund
................04-Feb-25
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
1 amendment
................12-Feb-25
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 103
Nays 0
Abstains 0
................13-Feb-25
John Treadwell
Clerk
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