HB 1191: Motor vehicles; additional military medal awards eligible for special veteran license plates; provide

Georgia law already lets veterans who received certain military medals get special veteran license plates. This bill adds several more medals and honors to that qualifying list, including the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal, Coast Guard Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge, so more veterans could qualify for the plates. The bill also creates a brand new specialty license plate for people who currently serve or previously served in the United States Navy submarine service. Retired submariners would get a version of the plate marked 'RETIRED' instead of showing the county of issuance. Applicants would apply through the state motor vehicle commissioner, pay a $25 manufacturing fee, and the commissioner would design the plate and set rules for handling vehicle transfers or sales. The changes would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Adds five more military honors, including the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal, Coast Guard Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge, to the list of medals that qualify a veteran for a special license plate.
• Creates a new Georgia Code section (40-2-85.5) establishing a specialty license plate for current and retired members of the U.S. Navy submarine service.
• Requires retired submariners' plates to display the word 'RETIRED' instead of the county of issuance.
• Sets a $25 additional manufacturing fee for the new submarine service plate and directs the commissioner to design it and write rules for vehicle transfers or sales.
• Sets the effective date for all these changes as January 1, 2027.

Georgia veterans who hold qualifying military medals, current and retired members of the U.S. Navy submarine service who own private passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles, and the state motor vehicle commissioner's office, which must design and administer the new plates.

More veterans would become eligible for a special veteran license plate because the list of qualifying medals grows, and Navy submarine service members would gain a distinct plate honoring their service, giving both groups a visible, official way to mark their military background on their vehicles.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.1 to add the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal, Coast Guard Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge to the definition of 'military medal award.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 40-2-85.5 creating special license plates for active and retired U.S. Navy submarine service members.
• Retired members' plates must show 'RETIRED' in place of the county of issuance under subsection (a)(3).
• Subsection (b) requires an application to the commissioner, sets a $25 manufacturing fee, and lets the commissioner make rules for vehicle transfers or sales.
• Subsection (d) allows the new plate to be transferred between vehicles under the existing rules in O.C.G.A. § 40-2-80.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-03-04Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-03-03House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-03-03House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-02-18House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
8. 2026-02-17House Committee Favorably Reported (House)

• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)Primary sponsor
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 3, 2026

   170 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #583

• veteran license plates
• military honors
• Navy submarine service
• motor vehicles