--- title: SB 291. Special License Plates; establish an "America First" specialty license plate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb291 cite_as: SB 291, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb291 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb291.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb291/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70916 date: 2025-05-14 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb290.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb292.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1825 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb291.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 291 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-14 last_action: Effective Date 2026-01-01 sponsors: - Steve Gooch - John Kennedy - Randy Robertson - Jason Anavitarte - Larry Walker - Carden Summers - Billy Hickman - Max Burns - Ed Setzler - Chuck Payne - Bo Hatchett - Blake Tillery - Bill Cowsert - Chuck Hufstetler - Drew Echols - Shawn Still - Mike Hodges - Frank Ginn - Marty Harbin - Ricky Williams - Greg Dolezal - Brandon Beach - Brian Strickland - Ben Watson - Lee Anderson - Martin Momtahan text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB291/2025 upstream_id: 1985930 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - license plates - vehicle registration - Georgia Department of Revenue - state revenue --- # SB 291. Special License Plates; establish an "America First" specialty license plate ## Text 25 LC 39 4743S Senate Bill 291 By: Senators Gooch of the 51st, Kennedy of the 18th, Robertson of the 29th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Walker III of the 20th and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Code Section 40-2-86.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 special license plates promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit2 corporations and qualified motor vehicles or drivers with proceeds deposited into the general3 fund, so as to establish an "America First" specialty license plate; to provide for conditions4 for the production of such license plates; to provide for disco ntinuing the manufacture of5 such license plates in certain instances; to provide for the disposition of funds to the general6 fund; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws;7 and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 Code Section 40-2-86.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to special license11 plates promoting or supporting certain worthy agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations and12 qualified motor vehicles or drivers with proceeds deposited into the general fund, is amended13 in subsection (l) by adding a new paragraph to read as follows:14 "(12) A special license plate displaying an image of the Americ an flag, and the words15 'America First' to represent patriotism, a commitment to priori tize the interests of this16 S. B. 291 - 1 - 25 LC 39 4743S nation above all else, and to reinforce a sense of national pri de and unity. 17 Notwithstanding subsection (h) of this Code section, the department shall be authorized18 to issue such license plate prior to receipt of 1,000 prepaid a pplications; provided,19 however, that, if 1,000 applications have not been submitted prior to January 1, 2028, the20 department shall not continue to manufacture such license plate. The funds raised by the21 sale of this special license plate shall be deposited in the general fund."22 SECTION 2.23 This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.24 SECTION 3.25 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.26 S. B. 291 - 2 - ## 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. Georgia Senate Bill 291 creates a new "America First" specialty license plate featuring an American flag image, with plate revenue going into the state's general fund. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law already lets the Department of Revenue issue specialty license plates for various causes, groups, and themes under O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86.1. This bill adds a new plate to that list: an "America First" plate showing an American flag, meant to represent patriotism and national pride. Normally the department needs 1,000 prepaid applications before it will produce a new specialty plate design, but this bill lets the department start making the America First plate right away, without waiting for that threshold to be met first. However, if fewer than 1,000 applications come in by January 1, 2028, the department must stop manufacturing the plate. Money raised from selling the plate goes into the state's general fund rather than to a specific charity or program. The law would take effect on January 1, 2026. ### What it does - Adds a new specialty license plate option called "America First," featuring an American flag image, to Georgia's list of special plates under O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86.1. - Allows the Department of Revenue to begin producing the plate immediately, waiving the usual requirement of 1,000 prepaid applications before manufacturing starts. - Requires the department to stop making the plate if it has not received 1,000 applications by January 1, 2028. - Directs that all money collected from sales of the America First plate be deposited into the state's general fund rather than a dedicated cause or nonprofit. - Sets the law's effective date as January 1, 2026. ### Who it affects Georgia vehicle owners who want to purchase the America First specialty plate, and the Department of Revenue, which must produce, track applications for, and potentially discontinue the plate depending on demand. ### Why it matters Drivers gain another specialty plate option to display on their vehicles, and the state gets a new, if likely modest, funding stream into its general fund. The 1,000-application deadline means the plate could disappear from circulation if demand is too low. ### Key provisions - Section 1 amends subsection (l) of O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86.1 to add paragraph (12), creating the America First license plate with an American flag design. - The new plate is exempt from the standard rule requiring 1,000 prepaid applications before the department manufactures a specialty plate. - If 1,000 applications are not submitted by January 1, 2028, the department must stop manufacturing the plate. - Revenue from plate sales goes to the state's general fund, not to a specific nonprofit or program. - Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2026. - Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-14) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-01-01 (2025-05-14) - Sponsors: Steve Gooch, John Kennedy, Randy Robertson, Jason Anavitarte, Larry Walker, Carden Summers, Billy Hickman, Max Burns, Ed Setzler, Chuck Payne, Bo Hatchett, Blake Tillery, Bill Cowsert, Chuck Hufstetler, Drew Echols, Shawn Still, Mike Hodges, Frank Ginn, Marty Harbin, Ricky Williams, Greg Dolezal, Brandon Beach, Brian Strickland, Ben Watson, Lee Anderson, Martin Momtahan - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70916 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,825 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb291.md?full=1