---
title: SB 561. Motor Vehicles; additional license plate design honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb561
cite_as: SB 561, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb561
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb561.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb561/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73551
date: 2026-02-25
status: introduced
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: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb561.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 561
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-24
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Marty Harbin
- Elena Parent
- Shawn Still
- Jason Anavitarte
- Brian Strickland
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB561/2025
upstream_id: 2123608
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- license plates
- motor vehicles
- Girl Scouts
- America's 250th anniversary
- specialty plates
---
# SB 561. Motor Vehicles; additional license plate design honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 561
By: Senators Harbin of the 16th, Parent of the 44th, Still of the 48th, Anavitarte of the 31st
and Strickland of the 42nd
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 new license plate design marking 250 years of American independence and create a specialty Girl Scouts plate, with proceeds split between two Georgia Girl Scouts councils.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia already plans a student-designed license plate honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States, called the semiquincentennial, to be issued from 2026 through 2030. This bill adds a second, additional plate design for that same anniversary, one that would replace the county decal with the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty.'
The bill also creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia. Money raised from selling that plate would be split evenly between the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organization. Because the Georgia Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers for laws creating this kind of special license plate, the bill would not become law without that supermajority. If passed, it would take effect January 1, 2027.
### What it does
- Adds a second, additional license plate design commemorating the United States' 250th anniversary, separate from the student-designed plate already planned for 2026 through 2030.
- Requires the new anniversary plate to display '250 years of freedom and liberty' in place of the county decal.
- Creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia under the state's existing specialty plate program (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86).
- 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 organization.
- Requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and House for the bill to become law, since it affects license plates under a specific constitutional provision.
- Sets the effective date as January 1, 2027, if the bill passes.
### Who it affects
Georgia vehicle owners who choose the anniversary or Girl Scouts plates, the Georgia Department of Revenue's motor vehicle division, the Department of Education and civics groups involved in the original semiquincentennial plate design, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organizations that would receive plate proceeds.
### Why it matters
Drivers who want to mark the country's 250th anniversary would get an extra plate option beyond the student-designed one, and Georgians who want to support Girl Scouts could do so through a specialty plate, with sales directly funding two regional Girl Scouts councils rather than a broader fund.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 updates the general license plate law (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31) to reflect that plates issued from 2026 through 2030 will include multiple approved semiquincentennial designs, not just one.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31.1, keeping the original student-designed anniversary plate (subsection (a)) and adding a new subsection (b) creating a second design that replaces the county decal with '250 years of freedom and liberty.'
- Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86 to add a new specialty plate for Girl Scouts of Georgia, with proceeds divided equally between two named Girl Scouts organizations.
- Section 4 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers under the Georgia Constitution's rules on special license plates for the bill to take effect.
- Section 5 sets the effective date at January 1, 2027.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-24)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-25)
- Sponsors: Marty Harbin, Elena Parent, Shawn Still, Jason Anavitarte, Brian Strickland
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73551
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb561.md?full=1