SB76: SB76 License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish

26 SB 76/AP Senate Bill 76 By: Senators Echols of the 49th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Payne of the 54th, Brass of the 6th, Summers of the 13th and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicles, so1 as to provide for additional military medal awards eligible for special veteran license plates;2 to provide for a specialty license plate for United States Navy submarine service members;3 to authorize the operation of multipurpose off-highway vehicles on certain highways; to4 provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for5 other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicles, is amended9 in Code Section 40-2-85.1, relating to license plates for certa in veterans, by revising10 paragraph (1) of subsection (a), subparagraph (b)(2)(B), and su bsections (e.1) and (f) as11 follows:12 "(1) 'Military medal award' means the following medals, decorations, or other recognition13 of honor for military service awarded by a branch of the United States military:14 (A) Medal of Honor;15 (B) Bronze Star Medal;16 (C) Silver Star Medal;17 S. B. 76 - 1 - 26 SB 76/AP (D) Distinguished Service Cross;18 (E) Navy Cross;19 (F) Air Force Cross;20 (G) Defense Distinguished Service Medal;21 (H) Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal;22 (I) Distinguished Service Medal;23 (J) Navy Distinguished Service Medal;24 (K) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal;25 (L) Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal;26 (M) Defense Superior Service Medal;27 (N) Legion of Merit;28 (O) Distinguished Flying Cross;29 (P) Purple Heart;30 (Q) Air Medal;31 (R) Soldier's Medal; and32 (S) Meritorious Service Medal;33 (T) Navy Corps Medal;34 (U) Marine Corps Medal;35 (V) Airman's Medal;36 (W) Coast Guard Medal; and37 (X) Combat Infantryman Badge."38 "(B) Each member or former member of the armed forces of the Un ited States listed39 in this subsection shall be entitled to no more than one such free license plate at a time;40 provided, however, that, upon payment of a manufacturing fee of $25.00, a member41 shall be entitled to one additional such license plate. For each additional license plate42 for which a $25.00 manufacturing fee is required, there shall b e an additional annual43 registration fee of $25.00, and such fee as a condition of obtaining an annual renewal44 S. B. 76 - 2 - 26 SB 76/AP of a registration or an additional registration fee of $125.00 as a condition of obtaining45 a five-year renewal of registration for such license plate. Th e fee required by this46 subparagraph shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of collection of other47 registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34."48 "(e.1)(f) The spouse of any person eligible to be issued a special license plate under this49 Code section shall also be eligible for such license plate, pro vided that no motor vehicle50 is registered in the name of the eligible person and all other requirements relating to51 registration and licensing relative to motor vehicles as prescr ibed in Article 2 of this52 chapter have been satisfied.53 (f)(g) Special license plates issued under this Code section, except as provided in54 subparagraph (b)(2)(A) of this Code section, shall be renewed annually with a revalidation55 decal as provided in Code Section 40-2-31 without payment of an additional $25.00 annual56 registration fee subject to an additional annual registration fee of $25.00 as a condition of57 obtaining an annual renewal of a registration or an additional registration fee of $125.0058 as a condition of obtaining a five-year renewal of registration for such license plate. The59 fee required by this Code section shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of60 collection of other registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code61 Section 40-2-34."62 SECTION 2.63 Said title is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:64 "40-2-85.5.65 (a)(1) Motor vehicle owners who are members of the United Stat es Navy submarine66 service shall be eligible to receive special and distinctive vehicle license plates for private67 passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles u sed for personal68 transportation. Such license plates shall be issued in complia nce with the state motor69 S. B. 76 - 3 - 26 SB 76/AP vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor ve hicles as prescribed in70 Article 2 of this chapter.71 (2) Motor vehicle owners who are retired members of the United States Navy submarine72 service shall be eligible to receive special and distinctive vehicle license plates for private73 passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles u sed for personal74 transportation. Such license plates shall be issued in complia nce with the state motor75 vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor ve hicles as prescribed in76 Article 2 of this chapter.77 (3) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates issued pursuant to paragraph (2) of78 this subsection shall contain the word 'RETIRED' in the locatio n of and in lieu of the79 name of the county of issuance.80 (b) A person who qualifies for the special and distinctive lic ense plate pursuant to81 subsection (a) of this Code section shall make application therefor with the commissioner82 and include the requisite fee. The commissioner shall design a distinctive license plate as83 provided in subsection (c) of this Code section and issue the d istinctive license plates to84 qualifying applicants. There shall be no minimum required number of applicants for such85 distinctive license plate. The commissioner shall promulgate s uch rules and regulations86 as may be necessary to enforce compliance with all state licens e laws relating to the use87 and operation of private passenger cars and trucks before issuing these license plates in lieu88 of the regular Georgia license plates. The additional manufact uring fee for such special89 and distinctive license plates shall be $25.00. The commissioner is specifically authorized90 to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to ensure compliance in instances where91 such vehicles have been transferred or sold.92 (c) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates issued by this Code section shall be93 as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter for private passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, or94 recreational vehicles used for personal transportation, except that the commissioner shall95 S. B. 76 - 4 - 26 SB 76/AP include a special design to identify the owner as a member of t he United States Navy96 submarine service.97 (d) The license plate issued pursuant to this Code section sha ll be transferred between98 vehicles as provided in Code Section 40-2-80."99 SECTION 3.100 Said title is further amended in Code Section 40-6-362, relating to operating low-speed and101 multipurpose off-highway vehicles on highways, by revising subsection (b) as follows:102 "(b) Multipurpose off-highway vehicles shall be operated only on highways that are part103 of a county road system and shall be authorized to cross highwa ys that are part of a104 municipal street system or are part of the state highway system only be authorized to be105 operated on highways with a maximum speed limit of 60 miles per hour or less."106 SECTION 4.107 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2027.108 SECTION 5.109 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.110 S. B. 76 - 5 -