HR392: HR392 Joint Study Committee on the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers; create

Georgia used car dealers are currently licensed and regulated by the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers, which operates under the Secretary of State. But temporary operating permits and dealer license plates, which are frequently misused for tax evasion, stolen vehicle trafficking, and avoiding tickets and tolls, are overseen separately by the Department of Revenue. This resolution creates a joint House-Senate study committee to look into whether used car dealer regulation should instead be housed within the Department of Revenue, the same agency that issues the license plates central to the alleged abuses. The committee would include lawmakers, the Secretary of State or a designee, the Revenue Commissioner or a designee, and two law enforcement representatives. It must study the issue and can recommend legislation, with a report due before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Joint Study Committee on the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers.
• Directs the committee to study whether used motor vehicle dealer regulation should move to the Department of Revenue, which issues dealer plates and permits.
• Sets the committee's membership at 12 people, including four House members, four Senate members, the Secretary of State or designee, the Revenue Commissioner or designee, and two law enforcement representatives.
• Authorizes legislative members to receive standard expense allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and sets allowances for non-legislative members.
• Requires any approved findings or recommended legislation to be filed as a report before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

Used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealers currently licensed by the State Board of Registration, the Secretary of State's office, the Department of Revenue, state and local law enforcement agencies dealing with motor vehicle crimes, and House and Senate members appointed to the new study committee.

If the committee's work leads to legislation, oversight of who can sell used cars in Georgia could shift to a different state agency, potentially changing how dealer licensing, plate issuance, and fraud enforcement are coordinated to address problems like fake permits and misused dealer plates.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Joint Study Committee on the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership: four House members and four Senate members appointed by their chamber leaders, the Secretary of State or designee, the Revenue Commissioner or designee, and two law enforcement representatives.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying the issues described in the preamble and recommending action or legislation it finds necessary.
• Paragraph (5) sets allowances and expense reimbursement rules for legislative, state official, and other committee members, funded through legislative and agency appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report with legislative recommendations to be filed with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-04House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
3. 2025-02-28House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-27House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-02-26House Hopper (House)

• John Corbett (R, HD-174)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)

• used car dealers
• motor vehicle fraud
• dealer license plates
• title ad valorem tax
• state agency oversight