SB561: SB561 Motor Vehicles; additional license plate design honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States of America's independence; provide

Georgia already has a law setting up a license plate to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States (the semiquincentennial), with a design chosen through a student civics program. This bill adds a second, separate plate design for that same anniversary, carrying the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' in place of the usual county decal. The bill also updates the general rules for license plate design in O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31 to reflect that plates issued from 2026 through 2030 may include either of these anniversary designs. Separately, it creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia, with proceeds split evenly between the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. Because it involves special license plate revenue, the bill needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers, and would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Adds a new license plate design commemorating the 250th anniversary of United States independence, bearing the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' instead of a county decal.
• Updates Georgia's general license plate law (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31) so plates issued from 2026 through 2030 can carry either of the two anniversary designs.
• Creates a new specialty license plate honoring Girl Scouts of Georgia under the state's cause license 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 vote in both the Senate and House because the bill affects special license plate funds, under the Georgia Constitution.
• Sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.

Georgia vehicle owners who want a commemorative or specialty plate, the Department of Revenue's motor vehicle division which designs and issues plates, the Department of Education and civics education partners involved in the student design program, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia organizations that would receive plate proceeds.

Georgia drivers would get a new plate option to mark the nation's 250th birthday, and Girl Scout supporters would gain a way to fund those local organizations through vehicle registration fees rather than direct donations, changing what plate designs are available at renewal.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31 to say plates issued 2026 through 2030 may include the design or designs approved under Code Section 40-2-31.1, reflecting the new second design.
• Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31.1 to add subsection (b), creating the new independence anniversary plate with the phrase '250 years of freedom and liberty' replacing the county decal.
• Section 2 keeps subsection (a), which requires the original semiquincentennial plate design to come from a student civics competition with input from groups like the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.
• Section 3 adds paragraph (76) to O.C.G.A. § 40-2-86(l), creating the Girl Scouts of Georgia specialty plate with proceeds split evenly between two named Girl Scout organizations.
• Section 4 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers under the Georgia Constitution's rules for special license plate revenue.
• Section 5 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-24Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)Primary sponsor
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)

• license plates
• motor vehicles
• Girl Scouts
• American independence anniversary
• specialty plates