| 19 | 7 | | relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, so as to2 |
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| 20 | 8 | | provide for the issuance of two free license plates for veterans who are totally disabled or3 |
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| 21 | 9 | | disabled; to provide for application; to provide for conforming changes; to establish a4 |
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| 22 | 10 | | specialty license plate honoring the Shepherd Center; to establish a specialty license plate5 |
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| 23 | 11 | | benefiting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; to establish a specialty license plate6 |
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| 24 | 12 | | honoring Southern University Alumni; to establish a specialty license plate honoring Delta7 |
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| 25 | 13 | | Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; to establish a specialty license plate honoring alumni of Alabama8 |
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| 26 | 14 | | State University; to establish a specialty license plate supporting the state parks and historic9 |
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| 27 | 15 | | sites division of the Department of Natural Resources; to establish a specialty license plate10 |
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| 28 | 16 | | promoting conservation and enhancement of black bass populations; to provide for related11 |
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| 29 | 17 | | matters; to provide for effective dates; to provide for compliance with constitutional12 |
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| 30 | 18 | | requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.13 |
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| 31 | 19 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:14 |
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| 32 | 20 | | SECTION 1.15 |
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| 43 | 28 | | therefor, be issued a free motor vehicle license plate. As used in this Code section, the22 |
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| 44 | 29 | | term 'disabled veteran' shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in 'totally23 |
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| 45 | 30 | | disabled veteran' means an individual who qualifies as a disabled veteran pursuant to24 |
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| 46 | 31 | | paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-48.25 |
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| 47 | 32 | | (b) Any totally disabled veteran shall, upon proper application therefor, be issued a free26 |
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| 48 | 33 | | motor vehicle license plate plates for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal27 |
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| 49 | 34 | | use registered pursuant to this chapter in his or her name upon presentation of proof that28 |
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| 50 | 35 | | he or she qualifies as a totally disabled veteran. A totally disabled veteran who claims that29 |
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| 51 | 36 | | his or her disability is permanent applying for license plates pursuant to this Code section30 |
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| 52 | 37 | | shall furnish proof of such permanent disability through a letter from the United States31 |
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| 53 | 38 | | Department of Veterans Affairs.32 |
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| 54 | 39 | | (c)(1) Once a totally disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free33 |
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| 55 | 40 | | motor vehicle license plates as a result of being permanently disabled pursuant to this34 |
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| 56 | 41 | | Code section, he or she shall be entitled to receive free license plates or free revalidation35 |
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| 57 | 42 | | decals in succeeding years on any automobile, private passenger pickup truck,36 |
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| 58 | 43 | | motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter tons or less for up to two37 |
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| 59 | 44 | | motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use registered pursuant to this chapter that he38 |
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| 60 | 45 | | or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own or acquire in the39 |
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| 61 | 46 | | future.40 |
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| 62 | 47 | | (2) Once a disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor41 |
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| 63 | 48 | | vehicle license plates but his or her disability has not been determined to be a permanent42 |
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| 66 | 50 | | disability, he or she shall be entitled to receive free plates or free revalidation decals in43 |
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| 67 | 51 | | succeeding years upon furnishing, on an annual basis, proof of his or her status as a44 |
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| 68 | 52 | | disabled veteran through a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. 45 |
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| 69 | 53 | | Such free plates or free revalidation decals shall apply to any automobile, private46 |
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| 70 | 54 | | passenger pickup truck, motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter47 |
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| 71 | 55 | | tons or less that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own48 |
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| 72 | 56 | | or acquire in the future.49 |
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| 73 | 57 | | (3)(2)(A) Up to two Two license plates or revalidation decals each year shall be50 |
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| 74 | 58 | | furnished for motor vehicles other than motorcycles to totally disabled veterans51 |
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| 75 | 59 | | qualifying under this Code section unless the originals are lost. Such plates license52 |
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| 76 | 60 | | plate shall be fastened to both the front and the rear of the motor vehicle.53 |
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| 77 | 61 | | (B) Up to two license plates or revalidation decals One license plate or revalidation54 |
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| 78 | 62 | | decal each year shall be furnished for motorcycles to totally disabled veterans55 |
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| 79 | 63 | | qualifying under this Code section unless the original is lost. Such license plate shall56 |
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| 80 | 64 | | be fastened to the rear of the motor vehicle.57 |
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| 81 | 65 | | (4)(3) In the event of the death of the person who received the special license plates58 |
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| 82 | 66 | | pursuant to this Code section, upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to59 |
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| 83 | 67 | | registration and licensing of motor vehicles, his or her unremarried surviving spouse or60 |
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| 84 | 68 | | minor child may continue to receive the free special license plates authorized by this61 |
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| 85 | 69 | | Code section and revalidation decals until the remarriage of the surviving spouse or death62 |
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| 86 | 70 | | of the surviving spouse or minor child."63 |
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| 87 | 71 | | SECTION 2.64 |
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| 88 | 72 | | Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 40-2-70, relating to license plates65 |
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| 89 | 73 | | for veterans not qualifying as totally disabled, as follows:66 |
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| 90 | 74 | | "40-2-70.67 |
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| 93 | 76 | | (a) Any citizen and resident of the State of Georgia this state who has been discharged68 |
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| 94 | 77 | | from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable or who is currently serving69 |
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| 95 | 78 | | in the armed forces, who is disabled to any degree specified and enumerated in Code70 |
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| 96 | 79 | | Section 40-2-69, and who is the owner of a private passenger motor vehicle, but who71 |
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| 97 | 80 | | cannot qualify under but does not qualify as totally disabled pursuant to paragraph (1) of72 |
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| 98 | 81 | | subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-48 for purposes of qualification for a license plate73 |
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| 99 | 82 | | issued pursuant to Code Section 40-2-69, shall be entitled to a special and distinctive74 |
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| 100 | 83 | | automobile license plate license plates for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for75 |
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| 101 | 84 | | personal use registered pursuant to this chapter in his or her name. Such license plate76 |
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| 102 | 85 | | plates shall be transferred to another vehicle acquired by such veteran or jointly by such77 |
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| 103 | 86 | | veteran and his or her spouse as provided in Code Section 40-2-80. Such veteran shall be78 |
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| 104 | 87 | | entitled to such plate license plates issued pursuant to this Code section regardless of79 |
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| 105 | 88 | | whether he or she is suffering from a service connected or nonservice connected disability.80 |
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| 106 | 89 | | (b) Upon proper application and Such veteran must apply for such license plate and, upon81 |
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| 107 | 90 | | compliance with the state motor vehicle laws for licensing of motor vehicles and without82 |
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| 108 | 91 | | payment of the regular license fee for plates as prescribed under Article 7 of this chapter,83 |
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| 109 | 92 | | such veteran a disabled veteran who does not qualify for license plates pursuant to Code84 |
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| 110 | 93 | | Section 40-2-69 shall be issued similar license plates as prescribed in Code Section 40-2-7185 |
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| 111 | 94 | | for private passenger cars up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use. There86 |
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| 112 | 95 | | shall be no charge for the additional plate issued such veteran under this Code section. 87 |
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| 113 | 96 | | There shall be no charge for revalidation decals for such plates license plates issued88 |
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| 114 | 97 | | pursuant to this Code section.89 |
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| 115 | 98 | | (c) For purposes of applying for license plates issued pursuant to this Code section, If a90 |
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| 116 | 99 | | veteran who has not been certified as disabled by the United States Department of Veterans91 |
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| 117 | 100 | | Affairs, such veteran may submit to the Department of Veterans Service such veteran's92 |
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| 118 | 101 | | discharge papers and a certified statement from a physician, licensed under Chapter 34 of93 |
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| 119 | 102 | | Title 43, certifying that, in the opinion of such physician, such veteran is disabled to a94 |
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| 122 | 104 | | degree enumerated in Code Section 40-2-69. If the certificate from the physician indicates95 |
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| 123 | 105 | | the qualifying disabilities which meet the standards of the United States Department of96 |
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| 124 | 106 | | Veterans Affairs, the commissioner of veterans service shall submit a letter to the state97 |
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| 125 | 107 | | revenue commissioner indicating that the veteran meets the requirements of this Code98 |
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| 126 | 108 | | section and qualifies for a special license plate plates as provided in this Code section.99 |
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| 127 | 109 | | (d) Once a disabled veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor100 |
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| 128 | 110 | | vehicle license plates pursuant to this Code section but his or her disability has not been101 |
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| 129 | 111 | | determined to be a permanent disability, he or she shall be entitled to receive free license102 |
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| 130 | 112 | | plates or free revalidation decals in succeeding years upon furnishing, on an annual basis,103 |
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| 131 | 113 | | proof of his or her status as a disabled veteran through a letter from the United States104 |
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| 132 | 114 | | Department of Veterans Affairs. Such free license plates or free revalidation decals shall105 |
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| 133 | 115 | | be for up to two motorcycles or passenger cars for personal use registered pursuant to this106 |
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| 134 | 116 | | chapter that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse or minor child own or107 |
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| 135 | 117 | | acquire in the future."108 |
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| 136 | 118 | | SECTION 3.109 |
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| 137 | 119 | | Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 40-2-71, relating to design of110 |
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| 138 | 120 | | disabled veteran license plates and restrictions on issuance and transfer, as follows:111 |
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| 139 | 121 | | "40-2-71.112 |
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| 140 | 122 | | (a) The commissioner is directed to furnish the license plates provided for in Code113 |
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| 141 | 123 | | Sections 40-2-69 and 40-2-70. Such plates shall be printed in three colors: red, white, and114 |
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| 142 | 124 | | blue. The commissioner is authorized and directed to design the license plate. Each115 |
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| 143 | 125 | | license plate shall contain, in bold characters, the name of the state, or abbreviation thereof,116 |
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| 144 | 126 | | the year, the serial number, either the words 'Disabled Veteran' or 'Disabled Vet,' and an117 |
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| 145 | 127 | | image of the International Symbol of Access which is at least one inch in height and is118 |
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| 146 | 128 | | white on a blue background.119 |
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| 149 | 130 | | (b) Such license plates so issued shall be transferred to another vehicle as provided in120 |
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| 150 | 131 | | Code Section 40-2-80.121 |
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| 151 | 132 | | (c) No disabled veteran shall be entitled to own or operate more than one vehicle two122 |
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| 152 | 133 | | vehicles with the free license plates provided by Code Sections 40-2-69, 40-2-70, and this123 |
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| 153 | 134 | | Code section."124 |
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| 154 | 135 | | SECTION 4.125 |
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| 155 | 136 | | Said article is further amended in Code Section 40-2-86, relating to special license plates126 |
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| 156 | 137 | | promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with127 |
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| 157 | 138 | | proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, by128 |
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| 158 | 139 | | adding a new paragraph to subsection (l) to read as follows:129 |
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| 159 | 140 | | "(71) A special license plate honoring the Shepherd Center. The funds raised by the sale130 |
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| 160 | 141 | | of this special license plate shall be disbursed to Shepherd Center, Inc."131 |
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| 161 | 142 | | SECTION 5.132 |
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| 162 | 143 | | Said article is further amended in said Code section by adding new paragraphs to subsections133 |
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| 163 | 144 | | (l), (m), and (n) to read as follows:134 |
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| 164 | 145 | | "(72) A special license plate honoring Georgia veterans and their families. The funds135 |
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| 165 | 146 | | raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Georgia Veterans136 |
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| 166 | 147 | | Service Foundation.137 |
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| 167 | 148 | | (73) A special license plate honoring Southern University Alumni. The funds raised by138 |
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| 168 | 149 | | the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter139 |
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| 169 | 150 | | of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc.140 |
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| 170 | 151 | | (74) A special license plate honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The funds raised141 |
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| 171 | 152 | | by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Delta Life Development142 |
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| 172 | 153 | | Center.143 |
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| 175 | 155 | | (75) A special license plate honoring alumni of Alabama State University. The funds144 |
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| 176 | 156 | | raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Alabama State145 |
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| 177 | 157 | | University Metro Atlanta Alumni Chapter."146 |
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| 178 | 158 | | "(18) A special license plate to support the state parks and historic sites division of the147 |
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| 179 | 159 | | Department of Natural Resources in its protection, management, and maintenance of this148 |
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| 180 | 160 | | state's natural, historical, and cultural resources while providing opportunities for public149 |
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| 181 | 161 | | enjoyment and education. The funds raised by the sale of this special license plate shall150 |
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| 182 | 162 | | be disbursed to the Department of Natural Resources for use by the state parks and151 |
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| 183 | 163 | | historic sites division for the purposes provided for in this paragraph. Such license plate152 |
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| 184 | 164 | | shall not include a space for a county name decal but shall instead bear the legend153 |
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| 185 | 165 | | 'Georgia State Parks' in lieu of the name of the county of issuance."154 |
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| 186 | 166 | | "(10) A special license plate promoting conservation and enhancement of black bass155 |
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| 187 | 167 | | populations. The funds raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed156 |
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| 188 | 168 | | to the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation to supplement black bass research,157 |
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| 189 | 169 | | restoration, habitat improvement, stocking, and other management programs."158 |
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| 190 | 170 | | SECTION 6.159 |
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| 191 | 171 | | In accordance with the requirements of Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI(n) of the160 |
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| 192 | 172 | | Constitution of the State of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the161 |
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| 193 | 173 | | requisite two-thirds' majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.162 |
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| 194 | 174 | | SECTION 7.163 |
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| 195 | 175 | | (a) Except as otherwise provided for in subsection (b) of this section, this Act shall become164 |
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| 196 | 176 | | effective on July 1, 2025.165 |
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| 197 | 177 | | (b) Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.166 |
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| 198 | 178 | | SECTION 8.167 |
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