Georgia CommonsSB 524: License Plates; specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia; establish
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2027-01-01
A Georgia Senate bill would add a second license plate design marking the 250th anniversary of American independence and create a new specialty plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia, with sale proceeds split between two regional Girl Scout councils.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia already allows a special license plate design chosen through a student civics contest to mark the United States' 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial). This bill adds a second, separate anniversary plate design carrying the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' in place of the county sticker, available alongside the standard plate and the student-designed plate. The bill also creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia under the state's existing program for nonprofit-affiliated plates (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86). Money from selling that plate would be split equally between the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. Because Georgia's constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers for laws creating this kind of plate, the bill only becomes law if it clears that threshold. It would take effect January 1, 2027.
What the bill does
- Adds a new license plate design commemorating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, bearing the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' instead of a county decal.
- Keeps the existing student-designed semiquincentennial plate created through a civics education program as a separate option.
- Creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia under the state's nonprofit specialty plate program.
- Directs that proceeds from the Girl Scouts plate be split equally between the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia.
- Requires a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House for the bill to take effect, as Georgia's constitution mandates for this type of law.
- Sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.
Who it affects
Georgia drivers who choose specialty or commemorative license plates, the Department of Driver Services and Department of Revenue that issue and design plates, the Department of Education and civics organizations involved in the student design contest, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, which would receive plate sale proceeds.
Why it matters
Drivers would get more license plate choices, including a patriotic anniversary design and a Girl Scouts-themed plate, while two Girl Scout councils would gain a new, ongoing funding stream tied directly to plate sales rather than one-time donations or grants.
Key provisions
- Section 1 updates general license plate design rules (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31) to reflect that multiple semiquincentennial designs, not just one, will be issued from 2026 through 2030.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31.1 to keep the existing student civics-contest plate design and add a second design reading '250 years of freedom and liberty' in place of the county decal.
- Section 3 adds a new paragraph to O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86 creating the Girl Scouts of Georgia specialty plate, with proceeds split equally between the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia.
- Section 4 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and House for the Act to become law, per the Georgia Constitution's rules on such plates.
- Section 5 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.
From the bill
“the department shall provide for an additional license plate design that commemorates the anniversary of the United States of America's independence. Such design shall include the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' in place of the county decal.”
“A special license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia. The funds raised by the sale of this special license plate shall be disbursed equally to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organization.”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2027-01-01
- Act 517
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
Show full history (15 actions)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
- Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
- Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
- Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
- Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
- John Albers (R, SD-056)
- Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 4, 2026
51 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)
- House voteMarch 16, 2026
155 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 14 absent)
Topics
- license plates
- Girl Scouts
- American independence anniversary
- motor vehicle registration