HB1191: HB1191 Motor vehicles; additional military medal awards eligible for special veteran license plates; provide

Georgia law already lets veterans who received certain military medals get special veteran license plates. This bill expands the list of medals that count, adding recognitions such as the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal, Coast Guard Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge to the existing list that includes the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, and others. The bill also creates a brand new specialty license plate for current and retired members of the United States Navy submarine service. Retired members would get a plate marked 'RETIRED' instead of a county name. Applicants would pay the standard fee plus a $25 manufacturing fee, and the plate could be transferred between vehicles. The Georgia Department of Revenue commissioner would design the plates and set rules for compliance. The changes would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Expands the definition of 'military medal award' in Georgia's veteran license plate law (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.1) to include several additional medals and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
• Creates a new Georgia license plate category for active and retired members of the United States Navy submarine service (new O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.5).
• Requires retired submarine service members' plates to display the word 'RETIRED' instead of the county of issuance.
• Sets a $25 additional manufacturing fee for the new submarine service plates and lets the commissioner set no minimum number of applicants.
• Allows the new submarine service plate to be transferred between vehicles under existing transfer rules (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-80).
• Sets the effective date of the changes as January 1, 2027.

Georgia veterans who received specific military medals or the Combat Infantryman Badge, current and retired members of the United States Navy submarine service who own private vehicles, and the Georgia Department of Revenue, which issues and designs the license plates.

Veterans holding a broader range of medals would newly qualify for special veteran license plates, and Navy submarine veterans would get a distinct plate recognizing their service, including a special 'RETIRED' marking for those no longer active, changing what plates they can request starting in 2027.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.1 to add the Navy Corps Medal, Marine Corps Medal, Airman's Medal, Coast Guard Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge to the list of medals qualifying veterans for special license plates.
• Section 2 adds new O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.5, creating a special license plate for active and retired U.S. Navy submarine service members for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles.
• Section 2 requires retired members' plates to say 'RETIRED' in place of the county of issuance and sets a $25 additional manufacturing fee.
• Section 2 directs the commissioner to design the plate with a special submarine service emblem and to set rules for handling vehicle transfers or sales.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-03-04Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-03-03House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-03-03House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-02-18House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
8. 2026-02-17House Committee Favorably Reported (House)

• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)Primary sponsor
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 3, 2026

   170 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #583

• veteran license plates
• military honors
• Navy submarine service
• motor vehicle registration