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

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Discussed in meetings (17)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Motor Vehicles Committee, February 17, 2026

   From 0:06:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would add four military awards to those eligible for special veteran license plates, describing the change as a way to recognize living veterans and preserve their stories. An Air Force veteran testified that recipients of the Army's Soldier's Medal could obtain a plate, but recipients of comparable Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard awards could not. The witness described an eight-year effort to correct that omission. The sponsor said the additions also addressed a request concerning a submariner award. One committee member asked whether any service, including Space Force, had been overlooked. The chair said additional omissions could be addressed later if found. The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

2. House Rules Committee, February 18, 2026

   From 0:35:49 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved returning HB 1191 to the Motor Vehicles Committee without stated opposition. The chair said the referrals would allow bills to be worked out in committee rather than through changes in the Rules Committee.

3. House Motor Vehicles Committee, February 20, 2026

   From 0:41:02 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor returned with the previously approved license-plate bill to add an effective date. A Department of Revenue representative said veteran-related plates require additional computer-system preparation, including ensuring eligible recipients are not charged incorrectly. One member suggested adding disability markings to veteran and other special plates. The chair asked that this be considered separately, and no such amendment was offered. Another member questioned the $25 plate fee, saying veterans should receive benefits at the lowest possible cost. The department representative said $25 was the standard plate fee, $10 below the specialty-plate fee, and the lowest available plate cost. A member offered an amendment setting the effective date at January 1, 2027. The committee approved the amendment and then the bill as amended by voice votes, with no numerical tallies stated.

4. House Rules Committee, February 23, 2026

   From 0:32:17 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1191 would add military medal awards eligible for special veteran license plates. The sponsor presented a substitute that changed the effective date to January 1, 2027, at the Department of Revenue's request, and said that was the only change from the version presented the previous week. There were no questions.

5. House Rules Committee, March 2, 2026

   From 0:19:57 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1696

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1191 on Tuesday’s calendar under modified rules. The motion was seconded, no opposition was heard, and there was no discussion of the bill’s contents.

6. House floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26, AM)

   From 1:30:21 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 1706

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1191 would add four military medals to those qualifying veterans for distinctive license plates and create a plate for current and retired members of the U.S. Navy Submarine Service. The sponsor said the plate would cost $25. The sponsor described a constituent's unsuccessful eight-year effort to obtain an Airman's Medal plate and argued that veterans should be able to tell their service stories through their tags. A member expressed support but asked what the Airman's Medal recognizes. The sponsor did not provide a definition and said the goal was to honor eligible veterans. The House adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill, 170 to 0.

7. Senate Public Safety Committee, March 16, 2026

   From 0:07:25 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair initially announced a hearing only, but later allowed consideration of an amendment and a vote. The sponsor said HB 1191 would add four military medals to those eligible for veterans' specialty license plates: the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal and Coast Guard Medal. The sponsor said the proposal began with a constituent whose Airman's Medal did not qualify for a specialty plate. The sponsor also requested adding the Combat Infantry Badge following another constituent request relayed by a legislator. A committee member offered that addition as an amendment. The committee unanimously adopted the amendment and unanimously approved the amended substitute, sending it to the Senate Rules Committee.

8. Senate Rules Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:44:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would expand eligibility for distinctive veterans license plates to recipients of additional Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and combat infantry awards. The sponsor also said it would add Navy submariners and cited a $25 cost. No substantive questions or scheduling decision followed.

9. Senate Rules Committee, March 20, 2026

   From 0:14:43 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would expand eligibility for special vehicle license plates to recipients of additional military medals and badges, including the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Airman’s Medal, Coast Guard Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. No questions or calendar decision followed.

10. Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026

    From 0:16:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor asked that HB 1191 reach the floor, describing it as allowing additional veterans to display their military awards on license plates. Asked whether each veteran would get an individual picture on a plate, the sponsor clarified that eligibility would be based on receiving one of the covered awards. No vote was shown.

11. House Rules Committee, April 2, 2026

    From 0:53:39 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: A presenter said language from HB 1191 had been added to the substitute for SB 76, adding five military medal award recognitions for license plates. The committee approved the combined substitute without questions.

• Read aloud: House floor session, February 5, 2026 (legislative day 13), 0:41:27
• Read aloud: House floor session, February 6, 2026 (legislative day 14), 0:51:40
• Read aloud: House floor session, February 17, 2026 (legislative day 19), 1:02:06
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27), 0:44:37
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:33:00
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34), 0:47:03

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