---
title: SB 524. License Plates; specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia; establish
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb524
cite_as: SB 524, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73353
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
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: 996
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 524
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2027-01-01
sponsors:
- Marty Harbin
- Larry Walker
- Elena Parent
- Sonya Halpern
- Chuck Payne
- Kenya Wicks
- Billy Hickman
- Timothy Bearden
- John Albers
- Clint Crowe
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB524/2025
upstream_id: 2119519
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- license plates
- Girl Scouts
- American independence anniversary
- motor vehicle registration
---
# SB 524. License Plates; specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia; establish
## Text
Senate Bill 524
By: Senators Harbin of the 16th, Walker III of the 20th, Parent of the 44th, Halpern of the
39th, Payne of the 54th and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
registration and licensing of motor vehicles, so as to provide for an additional license plate
design honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence; to
establish a specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia with proceeds distributed
to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organization;
to provide for related matters; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements;
to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration and
licensing of motor vehicles, is amended in Code Section 40-2-31, relating to license plate
design, retention of manufacturing and delivery costs, and revalidation, county, and "In God
We Trust" decals, by revising subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) License plates issued pursuant to this chapter shall be at least six inches wide and not
less than 12 inches in length, except that motorcycle license plates shall be at least four
inches wide and not less than seven inches in length and license plates for low-speed
vehicles and multipurpose off-highway vehicles shall be a size determined by the
commissioner. All license plates shall show in boldface characters the month and year of
expiration, the serial number, and either the full name or the abbreviation of the name of
the state, shall designate the county from which the license plate was issued unless
specifically stated otherwise in this chapter, and shall show such other distinctive markings
as in the judgment of the commissioner may be deemed advisable, so as to indicate the
class of weight of the vehicle for which the license plate was issued. Any license plate for
a low-speed vehicle or multipurpose off-highway vehicle shall designate the vehicle as
such. Such plates may also bear such figures, characters, letters, or combinations thereof
as in the judgment of the commissioner will to the best advantage advertise, popularize,
and otherwise promote Georgia as the 'Peach State.' Plates issued during the years 2026
through 2030 shall include the design designs approved pursuant to Code
Section 40-2-31.1. Except for license plates issued pursuant to Article 2B of this chapter,
any license plate issued pursuant to this chapter shall be of such strength and quality that
the plate shall provide a minimum service period of at least five years. The commissioner
shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the
'Georgia Administrative Procedure Act,' for the design and issuance of new license plates
and to implement the other provisions of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 40-2-31.1, relating to design and
selection of United States of America's semiquincentennial license plate, as follows:
"40-2-31.1.
(a) In coordination with the Department of Education, the department shall establish
parameters for the design of and a selection process for a license plate which
commemorates the United States of America's semiquincentennial. The design of such
plate shall be selected from designs submitted by students in grades six through eight as
part of a civics education and engagement program which shall include feedback from the
Georgia Commission on Civics Education, Georgia Center for Civic Engagement, Georgia
Historical Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and Daughters of the American
Revolution.
(b) In addition to the standard license plate design and the design set forth in subsection (a)
of this Code section, 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."
SECTION 3.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 40-2-86, relating to license plates promoting
or supporting certain agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with proceeds disbursed to
the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, is amended by adding a new
paragraph to subsection (l) to read as follows:
"(76) 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."
SECTION 4.
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 5.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
SECTION 6.
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 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.
### Plain-language summary
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 it 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.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2027-01-01 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Marty Harbin, Larry Walker, Elena Parent, Sonya Halpern, Chuck Payne, Kenya Wicks, Billy Hickman, Timothy Bearden, John Albers, Clint Crowe
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73353
> The history, votes, and amendments (996 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb524.md?full=1