HB255: HB255 Special license plates; Southern University Alumni; establish

Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86) already allows the state to issue specialty license plates that support various causes, agencies, and nonprofit organizations, with part of the money from each plate's sale going to the group it honors. This bill adds two new plates to that list. One plate would honor Southern University Alumni, with proceeds going to the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc. The other would honor Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., with proceeds going to the Delta Life Development Center. Because the Georgia Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers for new specialty plates of this kind, the bill would only become law if it clears that higher vote threshold. If enacted, it would take effect January 1, 2026.

• Adds a new specialty license plate honoring Southern University Alumni to the list in Georgia's specialty plate law (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86).
• Directs that proceeds from the Southern University Alumni plate go to the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc.
• Adds a new specialty license plate honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
• Directs that proceeds from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority plate go to the Delta Life Development Center.
• Requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the bill to become law, as required by the Georgia Constitution for this type of plate.
• Sets the effective date as January 1, 2026, if the bill is enacted.

Georgia vehicle owners who might choose to purchase either specialty plate, the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc., and the Delta Life Development Center, which would receive proceeds from plate sales, and the Georgia Department of Revenue, which administers specialty plates.

Georgians affiliated with Southern University or Delta Sigma Theta Sorority would gain a new way to publicly show that affiliation while directing a portion of their vehicle registration costs to specific nonprofit organizations rather than only the state's general fund.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86(l) by adding paragraph (71), creating the Southern University Alumni plate with proceeds going to its Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter federation affiliate.
• Section 1 also adds paragraph (72), creating the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. plate with proceeds going to the Delta Life Development Center.
• Section 2 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and House under the Georgia Constitution (Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI(n)) for the Act to become law.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as January 1, 2026.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting state laws.

1. 2025-03-04Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-03-03House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-03-03House Third Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2025-02-06House Second Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-05House First Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-04House Hopper (House)

• Dewey McClain (D, HD-109)Primary sponsor
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)
• Rhonda Taylor (D, HD-092)
• Mack Jackson (D, HD-128)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 3, 2025

   168 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #141

• specialty license plates
• vehicle registration
• nonprofit funding
• Georgia DMV