25 HB 208/SCSFA
SENATE SUBSTITUTE TO HB 208
ADOPTED SENATE
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1
relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, so as to2
provide for the issuance of two free license plates for veterans who are totally disabled or3
disabled; to provide for application; to provide for conforming changes; to establish a4
specialty license plate honoring the Shepherd Center; to establish a specialty license plate5
benefiting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; to establish a specialty license plate6
honoring Southern University Alumni; to establish a specialty license plate honoring Delta7
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; to establish a specialty license plate honoring alumni of Alabama8
State University; to establish a specialty license plate supporting the state parks and historic9
sites division of the Department of Natural Resources; to establish a specialty license plate10
promoting conservation and enhancement of black bass populations; to provide for related11
matters; to provide for effective dates; to provide for compliance with constitutional12
requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.13
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:14
SECTION 1.15
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Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to16
prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, is amended by17
revising Code Section 40-2-69, relating to license plates for veterans qualifying as totally18
disabled, as follows:19
"40-2-69.20
(a) Any disabled veteran who is a citizen and resident of this state shall, upon application21
therefor, be issued a free motor vehicle license plate. As used in this Code section, the22
term 'disabled veteran' shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in 'totally23
disabled veteran' means an individual who qualifies as a disabled veteran pursuant to24
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-48.25
(b) Any totally disabled veteran shall, upon proper application therefor, be issued a free26
motor vehicle license plate plates for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal27
use registered pursuant to this chapter in his or her name upon presentation of proof that28
he or she qualifies as a totally disabled veteran. A totally disabled veteran who claims that29
his or her disability is permanent applying for license plates pursuant to this Code section30
shall furnish proof of such permanent disability through a letter from the United States31
Department of Veterans Affairs.32
(c)(1) Once a totally disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free33
motor vehicle license plates as a result of being permanently disabled pursuant to this34
Code section, he or she shall be entitled to receive free license plates or free revalidation35
decals in succeeding years on any automobile, private passenger pickup truck,36
motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter tons or less for up to two37
motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use registered pursuant to this chapter that he38
or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own or acquire in the39
future.40
(2) Once a disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor41
vehicle license plates but his or her disability has not been determined to be a permanent42
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disability, he or she shall be entitled to receive free plates or free revalidation decals in43
succeeding years upon furnishing, on an annual basis, proof of his or her status as a44
disabled veteran through a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. 45
Such free plates or free revalidation decals shall apply to any automobile, private46
passenger pickup truck, motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter47
tons or less that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own48
or acquire in the future.49
(3)(2)(A) Up to two Two license plates or revalidation decals each year shall be50
furnished for motor vehicles other than motorcycles to totally disabled veterans51
qualifying under this Code section unless the originals are lost. Such plates license52
plate shall be fastened to both the front and the rear of the motor vehicle.53
(B) Up to two license plates or revalidation decals One license plate or revalidation54
decal each year shall be furnished for motorcycles to totally disabled veterans55
qualifying under this Code section unless the original is lost. Such license plate shall56
be fastened to the rear of the motor vehicle.57
(4)(3) In the event of the death of the person who received the special license plates58
pursuant to this Code section, upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to59
registration and licensing of motor vehicles, his or her unremarried surviving spouse or60
minor child may continue to receive the free special license plates authorized by this61
Code section and revalidation decals until the remarriage of the surviving spouse or death62
of the surviving spouse or minor child."63
SECTION 2.64
Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 40-2-70, relating to license plates65
for veterans not qualifying as totally disabled, as follows:66
"40-2-70.67
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(a) Any citizen and resident of the State of Georgia this state who has been discharged68
from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable or who is currently serving69
in the armed forces, who is disabled to any degree specified and enumerated in Code70
Section 40-2-69, and who is the owner of a private passenger motor vehicle, but who71
cannot qualify under but does not qualify as totally disabled pursuant to paragraph (1) of72
subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-48 for purposes of qualification for a license plate73
issued pursuant to Code Section 40-2-69, shall be entitled to a special and distinctive74
automobile license plate license plates for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for75
personal use registered pursuant to this chapter in his or her name. Such license plate76
plates shall be transferred to another vehicle acquired by such veteran or jointly by such77
veteran and his or her spouse as provided in Code Section 40-2-80. Such veteran shall be78
entitled to such plate license plates issued pursuant to this Code section regardless of79
whether he or she is suffering from a service connected or nonservice connected disability.80
(b) Upon proper application and Such veteran must apply for such license plate and, upon81
compliance with the state motor vehicle laws for licensing of motor vehicles and without82
payment of the regular license fee for plates as prescribed under Article 7 of this chapter,83
such veteran a disabled veteran who does not qualify for license plates pursuant to Code84
Section 40-2-69 shall be issued similar license plates as prescribed in Code Section 40-2-7185
for private passenger cars up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use. There86
shall be no charge for the additional plate issued such veteran under this Code section. 87
There shall be no charge for revalidation decals for such plates license plates issued88
pursuant to this Code section.89
(c) For purposes of applying for license plates issued pursuant to this Code section, If a90
veteran who has not been certified as disabled by the United States Department of Veterans91
Affairs, such veteran may submit to the Department of Veterans Service such veteran's92
discharge papers and a certified statement from a physician, licensed under Chapter 34 of93
Title 43, certifying that, in the opinion of such physician, such veteran is disabled to a94
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degree enumerated in Code Section 40-2-69. If the certificate from the physician indicates95
the qualifying disabilities which meet the standards of the United States Department of96
Veterans Affairs, the commissioner of veterans service shall submit a letter to the state97
revenue commissioner indicating that the veteran meets the requirements of this Code98
section and qualifies for a special license plate plates as provided in this Code section.99
(d) Once a disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor100
vehicle license plates pursuant to this Code section but his or her disability has not been101
determined to be a permanent disability, he or she shall be entitled to receive free license102
plates or free revalidation decals in succeeding years upon furnishing, on an annual basis,103
proof of his or her status as a disabled veteran through a letter from the United States104
Department of Veterans Affairs. Such free license plates or free revalidation decals shall105
be for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use registered pursuant to this106
chapter that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own or107
acquire in the future."108
SECTION 3.109
Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 40-2-71, relating to design of110
disabled veteran license plates and restrictions on issuance and transfer, as follows:111
"40-2-71.112
(a) The commissioner is directed to furnish the license plates provided for in Code113
Sections 40-2-69 and 40-2-70. Such plates shall be printed in three colors: red, white, and114
blue. The commissioner is authorized and directed to design the license plate. Each115
license plate shall contain, in bold characters, the name of the state, or abbreviation thereof,116
the year, the serial number, either the words 'Disabled Veteran' or 'Disabled Vet,' and an117
image of the International Symbol of Access which is at least one inch in height and is118
white on a blue background.119
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(b) Such license plates so issued shall be transferred to another vehicle as provided in120
Code Section 40-2-80.121
(c) No disabled veteran shall be entitled to own or operate more than one vehicle two122
vehicles with the free license plates provided by Code Sections 40-2-69, 40-2-70, and this123
Code section."124
SECTION 4.125
Said article is further amended in Code Section 40-2-86, relating to special license plates126
promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with127
proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, by128
adding a new paragraph to subsection (l) to read as follows:129
"(71) A special license plate honoring the Shepherd Center. The funds raised by the sale130
of this special license plate shall be disbursed to Shepherd Center, Inc."131
SECTION 5.132
Said article is further amended in said Code section by adding new paragraphs to subsections133
(l), (m), and (n) to read as follows:134
"(72) A special license plate honoring Georgia veterans and their families. The funds135
raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Georgia Veterans136
Service Foundation.137
(73) A special license plate honoring Southern University Alumni. The funds raised by138
the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter139
of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc.140
(74) A special license plate honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The funds raised141
by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Delta Life Development142
Center.143
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(75) A special license plate honoring alumni of Alabama State University. The funds144
raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Alabama State145
University Metro Atlanta Alumni Chapter."146
"(18) A special license plate to support the state parks and historic sites division of the147
Department of Natural Resources in its protection, management, and maintenance of this148
state's natural, historical, and cultural resources while providing opportunities for public149
enjoyment and education. The funds raised by the sale of this special license plate shall150
be disbursed to the Department of Natural Resources for use by the state parks and151
historic sites division for the purposes provided for in this paragraph. Such license plate152
shall not include a space for a county name decal but shall instead bear the legend153
'Georgia State Parks' in lieu of the name of the county of issuance."154
"(10) A special license plate promoting conservation and enhancement of black bass155
populations. The funds raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed156
to the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation to supplement black bass research,157
restoration, habitat improvement, stocking, and other management programs."158
SECTION 6.159
In accordance with the requirements of Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI(n) of the160
Constitution of the State of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the161
requisite two-thirds' majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.162
SECTION 7.163
(a) Except as otherwise provided for in subsection (b) of this section, this Act shall become164
effective on July 1, 2025.165
(b) Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.166
SECTION 8.167
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All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.168
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