---
title: HB 255. Special license plates; Southern University Alumni; establish
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb255
cite_as: HB 255, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb255
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb255.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb255/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69868
date: 2025-03-04
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 492
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb255.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 255
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-03-03
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Dewey McClain
- Brian Prince
- Kimberly Alexander
- Rhonda Taylor
- Mack Jackson
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB255/2025
upstream_id: 1955657
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- specialty license plates
- vehicle registration
- nonprofit funding
- Georgia DMV
---
# HB 255. Special license plates; Southern University Alumni; establish
## Text
House Bill 255 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives McClain of the 109th, Prince of the 132nd, Alexander of the 66th, Taylor
of the 92nd, and Jackson of the 128th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
special license plates promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit
corporations with proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit
corporation, so as to establish a specialty license plate honoring Southern University Alumni;
to establish a specialty license plate honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; to provide
for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to provide for compliance with
constitutional requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to special license
plates promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with
proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, is
amended by adding new paragraphs to subsection (l) to read as follows:
"(71) A special license plate honoring Southern University Alumni. The funds raised by
the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Atlanta Metropolitan Chapter
of Southern University Alumni Federation of Georgia, Inc.
(72) A special license plate honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The funds raised
by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed to the Delta Life Development
Center."
SECTION 2.
In accordance with the requirements of Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI(n) of the
Constitution of the State of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the
requisite two-thirds' majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would create two new specialty license plates, one honoring Southern University Alumni and one honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., with sales proceeds going to affiliated nonprofit groups.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2025-03-03)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-03-04)
- Sponsors: Dewey McClain, Brian Prince, Kimberly Alexander, Rhonda Taylor, Mack Jackson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69868
> The history, votes, and amendments (492 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb255.md?full=1