House Motor Vehicles Committee, March 17, 2026

Transcript

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1. 0:16:58

   He's coming.

2. 0:16:58

   I can stop. How you doing, sir?

3. 0:17:01

   Is everything okay?

4. 0:17:03

   Yeah.

5. 0:17:03

   Hoping good-

6. 0:17:03

   Uh,

7. 0:17:32

   good, good morning. We've, uh, got a s- we have a sign-up sheet out front for anybody that'd like to, uh, speak to, uh, one of the measures we have on the, uh, agenda today. If you'd like to speak, if you wanna sign that sheet, just put your, your name and which bill, uh, uh, you'd like to speak to. And, uh, so we, we'll give, uh, just a couple more minutes for everybody to, to get here. The other bill author's not, not here yet. He's on the way, so, uh, we'll, we'll, uh, just stand at ease for, for a few minutes.

8. 0:18:35

   All right. W- Well, good morning. Both bill authors are here. Uh, now I'm gonna, uh, s- start with prayer. I'm gonna ask, uh, Chairman s- uh, Vance Smith to be opening prayer for us. What number are you, Vance?

9. 0:18:50

   27.

10. 0:18:50

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Lord, thank you for another beautiful day you've given us. Uh, be with the committee and the members here as we deliberate issues that hopefully will be great for the people of Georgia. Uh, we always need to keep them in mind. Be with everyone in the audience. Lord, we ask you to help us to follow your will, not ours, and understand that your hand's always extended and you will help us at any time. Bless our families at home and bless this great state of Georgia.

11. 0:19:22

    In Jesus' name, amen.

12. 0:19:25

    Thank you. We're gonna, uh, s- start a little bit out of order this morning. We're gonna start with, uh, Senate Bill 569. I'm gonna ask, uh, uh, Senator Strickland. E- either way, whatever you're comfortable with. Table might be better for you to, uh, if you'd like, where you'd like to sit.

13. 0:19:41

    Big chairs.

14. 0:19:44

    So anyway, the floor is yours. Uh, if you'll tell us the bill number, the LC number we're working off of.

15. 0:19:49

    Good morning, everybody.

16. 0:19:51

    Good morning.

17. 0:19:51

    We have Senate Bill 569, and I'm working off LC394969. Is that what y'all have?

18. 0:19:59

    No.

19. 0:19:59

    So you have... Uh, what's the substitute you have?

20. 0:20:04

    Uh, w-

21. 0:20:04

    Okay.

22. 0:20:06

    It's Brian. Brian.

23. 0:20:08

    Wait, we, we've got an extra one here.

24. 0:20:22

    Thank you. AP.

25. 0:20:22

    Yes, one second, Mr. Chairman. I'm, I know there was some stuff being added, but I wanna... I've not seen the new sub yet.

26. 0:21:00

    So I will go over my original part of the bill, Mr. Chairman, and let the others, I know we're working on, uh, no pun intended, this bill being a vehicle for another issue while we're in this section.

27. 0:21:13

    And I think the oth- other, other part involved towing as well. I think-

28. 0:21:16

    That's right

29. 0:21:16

    ... I think they, they, they-

30. 0:21:17

    It's all towing

31. 0:21:18

    ... they, they ho- they hook up very well.

32. 0:21:19

    In my section, the... There you go.

33. 0:21:24

    That was good. That was good. Thanks for doing that.

34. 0:21:28

    So my original bill is section 1-1 and section,

35. 0:21:38

    section 2.

36. 0:21:43

    I believe that is it. Let me tell you what my bill, um, my underlying bill is doing. So, uh, two years ago we passed a measure that confirmed that yellow lights, uh, amber lights you see on vehicles can't be used as emergency lights. As I think most of us think when you see yellow lights, you think caution. You don't think someone who's gonna go and you have to get out of their way necessarily. Someone's gonna go through a red light, someone's gonna go around traffic. But in doing that, we created an issue for some of our towers.

37. 0:22:16

    We have what's called a federal TRIP program, and the TRIP program is something with federal dollars that GDOT implements where you have towers in certain regions of our state, particularly where I live in Henry County, where Representative Douglas knows this very well, too, where we have accidents that occur, a lot of times big accidents involving tractor trailers on 75. And the federal TRIP program incentivizes wreckers to clear the scene within a s- a specific period of time. And so they're incentivized to get out there quickly.

38. 0:22:47

    These guys are very specialized. The towers that are part of this program, they're approved through GDOT, and they have the equipment to move the wrecks out of the way, including the interstate. Obviously, when there's a wreck, it's an inconvenience for everybody. When I was driving this morning, the interstate was completely closed briefly. It's an inconvenience, but bigger than that, a lot of people who die on the interstates are because of secondary crashes. And so the goal is to clear these scenes as fast as we can. The problem that we're trying to address with this bill is there's no way for these towers to get to the scene legally.

39. 0:23:19

    What I mean is they can't use amber lights to get around traffic. They can't even drive on the shoulder of the interstate to get to the accident. And right now, they aren't given red light permits. Um, I've worked with the Colonel of State Patrol. Currently under Georgia law, the Colonel has the authority to issue red light permits, but there's not a lot of parameters around that, and rightfully so. There's concern about opening that up and just giving every tower in our state the chance to have red lights. I think most of us don't want to be driving in our smaller towns on a two-lane road and seeing a wrecker flying by through a red light.

40. 0:23:53

    And so what we've done with this bill is created a narrow way where, um, these, these towers that are part of the TRIP program can apply to the Colonel and actually get these red light permits if they complete certain training that's set forth by the Colonel as well. And so if they are part of the TRIP program or under a contract with a government to, to get, to get law enforcement-initiated calls, in other words, the TRIP program, you actually get a call from either HERO or from a law enforcement officer to come to the scene. Some counties like Henry also have contracts for wreckers where they get law enforcement-initiated tows as well, where law enforcement will call and say, "Come get this wreck cleaned up." If you're in one of those two programs, the contract or the TRIP program, then if you complete the training required by the Colonel, you can then get red light permits from the Colonel.

41. 0:24:41

    That's what the bill is trying to accomplish, or does accomplish, and, uh, that is the sections that I have an- and I'll let someone else speak on the additional things that were added, but happy to take any questions on that part.

42. 0:24:52

    All right. I- is there a, a cost to the, the, the, the, the Colonel and the public service people f- for, for doing this training? Is that... Or would that-

43. 0:25:02

    The cost would be, uh, completely borne by the, um-

44. 0:25:05

    Tower

45. 0:25:06

    ... by the tower, right.

46. 0:25:08

    All right. Number 19.

47. 0:25:12

    Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Senator Strickland for, you know, bringing the bill. And I, I guess my only concern was, you know, as I read it, I kept on saying, "Okay, uh, the, uh... I guess we got the fee taken care of, one." Because I w- I wrote that. I didn't know if that was the individual with the training or the towing company with the training. So that was one. Uh, but I... Mr. Chairman, so I didn't know if, uh... So was it the towing company that was receiving the training or the individual that's driving the tow truck that's-

48. 0:25:44

    So there's a little bit of flexibility there. And I worked with the Colonel on this language, and I by design gave some flexibility. So it says the training shall be required by the Colonel, but it's up to the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety to decide how that training will work. The goal would be, though, that you would have training of those that are gonna get the stickers. There are stickers given for these lights that go on particular vehicles. So what I would assume would happen is you're gonna have the Colonel making certain that those that are driving any vehicles that have red lights have had the training that you would have in order to get around traffic and to make sure they're using the right due care when doing that.

49. 0:26:20

    And, uh, if I can just have a follow-up. So, okay, so the towing trucks will have, um, lights like the, I want to say like the, the Colonel? I mean, like the-

50. 0:26:32

    Well, he's got blue lights probably.

51. 0:26:34

    Yeah, yeah.

52. 0:26:34

    But yeah. These will be red.

53. 0:26:35

    These would be, these would be red and yellow.

54. 0:26:37

    Yes, sir. Well, they actually would just be red. I believe you still have yellow on some of the trucks when they're parked out there. They would turn y- the yellow lights potentially on, but this deals directly with, um, red lights.

55. 0:26:49

    Okay. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

56. 0:26:54

    All right. I'm seeing no further questions. Uh, and I know that, well, the other part of the bill is not here, but I think we have some people signed up might want to speak to the, the other part of the bill. And this was Eddie Lumsden's bill that we, we passed out far as the, uh, the, uh, towers and the, uh, insurance companies being able to notify through a third-party, uh, system that, that they enter into a system that it decreased the amount of time that, that they had to have to, have to help speed up the process for everybody.

57. 0:27:24

    And I don't know if, uh, if we have somebody here who'd like to speak, speak to that. I think we have seen, uh, representatives from bo- both, both sides, if they'd like to want... come, come to the podium and speak to what the, uh... There we go. Just, just s- s- state, state your name and, and who you're with.

58. 0:27:44

    Sure. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, John Clayton here on behalf of TRAG, the Towing and Recovery Association of Georgia. Um, like, like the chairman said, this is the same, uh, House Bill 184 that was passed out of this committee, I believe, two weeks ago. Um, no real changes. It came, uh, after a long agreement between the towing industry, uh, and the rental car industry, and as well as we worked with the municipal court judges. But we have Phil Howard, um, here from, uh, Guardian Towing if you have any industry-specific questions for them. Um, but if he has any, any questions for me, I'm happy to take them.

59. 0:28:19

    I don't see any questions. Like I say, we, we vetted this bill pretty well. Actually, it, it, it took us almost two years to, to c- come to a point where everybody was, was in agreement, and I appreciate everybody being willing to work together on that. And I see, uh, Hunter there-

60. 0:28:33

    Thank y'all

61. 0:28:34

    ... if you would like to speak to-

62. 0:28:35

    Uh, just Hunter Towns on behalf of Enterprise and the rental car industry. Uh, definitely want to thank the chairman, uh, your hard work in getting this here. It has taken a while, and, uh, we appreciate everybody who's worked on it. Chairman Lumsden, thank you, Senator, for letting us use your use your-

63. 0:28:50

    Hitch a ride

64. 0:28:50

    ... hitch a ride. But, uh, anyway, thank you, guys, for all your hard work on it. We appreciate you helping us getting this done.

65. 0:28:55

    All right. We, we do have one question. Chairman Powell, we have two questions.

66. 0:28:59

    Yeah, I don't normally say very much about a senator, but I appreciate you bringing this bill- ... so it could be used as a Christmas tree.

67. 0:29:05

    Yes, sir.

68. 0:29:06

    We got there very quickly with it.

69. 0:29:07

    The, uh, the to- the towing legislation was something that's needed, having been embroiled in this stuff a number of years. And even with John Clayton representing them, it was able to get through this year. So I appreciate y'all.

70. 0:29:19

    Thank you.

71. 0:29:19

    And at, at the proper time, I'd like to make a motion.

72. 0:29:22

    All right. We, we do have a couple, couple more questions for, uh, Representative Mathis, number 28.

73. 0:29:26

    Yeah, Senator Strickland, I got one question for you. On the federal program, how many, uh, towers do we have that's in that program? How many will this affect, do you think?

74. 0:29:36

    For that, um, I don't know how many is actually in the whole program. It covers, um, like the stretch of interstate like through Henry County-

75. 0:29:42

    Mm-hmm

76. 0:29:42

    ... up all the way up to Bartow County, up through Gwinnett and back down 85 as well towards Columbus. I'm not sure how many towers. Do you have any idea?

77. 0:29:51

    I don't exactly know, but, uh, they, they typically will follow along your interstate routes. So I know now that they've actually completed the system from Atlanta all the way up to Chattanooga.

78. 0:29:59

    Mm-hmm.

79. 0:30:00

    So we have the, the TRIP system goes that whole distance. But I do know as, uh, you get further down the interstate, and Phil, you may be able to address this even more, but I know there's some areas that don't have TRIP towers in them, so.

80. 0:30:12

    Uh, good morning. My name's Phil Howard, Howard Wrecker Service. Um, I am not part of the TRIP program, but currently there are about 12 or 13 towers that participate on the TRIP program.

81. 0:30:21

    Okay.

82. 0:30:21

    Okay.

83. 0:30:21

    So.

84. 0:30:22

    Thank you.

85. 0:30:24

    Yes.

86. 0:30:24

    All right. Number two, Chairman Prince.

87. 0:30:27

    Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and it's, uh, my question is for the author of the bill. W- what's, uh... Is there anything in here for those who basically violate, uh, using red lights, i.e., some of the tow c- uh, "I just need to hurry up and get to, you know, back to the office," or things like that. Is there a penalty in there for misuse of these, uh, emergency lights?

88. 0:30:51

    There's not one built into this code section, I don't believe. There, there's a whole code section on the lights that could have some current penalties. Um, but I'll say this, that the individuals that would be able to get the red light permits are either part of the TRIP program, which has very strict rules operated by GDOT, and so if they were violating that, they'd be subject to be released from that program. And second, the other individuals that apply are under contracts with governments, which also have provisions they have to abide by. So you have additional oversight. These are individuals that will have that oversight, um, and also these are law enforcement-initiated tows, and so, um, you're gonna have a lot of eyes on individuals that'd be using these lights.

89. 0:31:30

    Right. And again, I, I, uh, I support the bill and the concept of it. Uh, my, my concern, though, is that, uh, there may be those who, uh, misuse that, and what is the penalty for that? And then the confusion that some pedestrians may have, well, uh, just, uh, I would say motor vehicle operators, uh, red lights versus... I mean, you see some tow trucks with red lights. You see some with yellow. Uh, is there a difference? And obviously the difference is most of the ones with the red lights in the program are coming probably 'cause law enforcement call them to hurry up and clean it up.

90. 0:32:08

    That's right.

91. 0:32:08

    Okay.

92. 0:32:09

    That's right. And I will check and see if I can get the answer. I'm, I'm, I'm guessing, I'm assuming there's a, a, a code section somewhere, a criminal code section they'd be violating, and I don't know if any of my prosecutor friends are in the room. But we'll find that answer for you.

93. 0:32:21

    Yeah. A- and it'd probably be in the same code section if somebody's misusing a blue light, you know, on cars. I know that's-

94. 0:32:26

    Right

95. 0:32:26

    ... that's an issue. Yeah, I'm, I'm sure that's, that's-

96. 0:32:28

    There's something. I just don't have it in front of me

97. 0:32:29

    ... taken care of, but we, we can find that I'm sure. But, uh, I think now would be the proper time for Chairman Powell.

98. 0:32:35

    Yeah, I'll make a motion it, uh, passes forward to the due pass.

99. 0:32:38

    All right. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye.

100. 0:32:44

     Aye.

101. 0:32:44

     Aye.

102. 0:32:44

     All opposed like sign. You have your bill.

103. 0:32:47

     Thank you. I appreciate y'all.

104. 0:32:48

     Thank you. Uh, who, who's gonna be carrying it on the f- floor?

105. 0:32:52

     I've not discussed that with anybody yet. Is it gonna be anybody that wants it?

106. 0:32:56

     Pro- pro- probably Chairman Lumsden.

107. 0:32:58

     Yeah, I was gonna say

108. 0:32:58

     ... had the original 184.

109. 0:33:00

     One guy. Okay.

110. 0:33:00

     So, so we, we'll, I'll, I'll ch- check with him to make sure-

111. 0:33:03

     Okay. Thank you

112. 0:33:03

     ... if that's okay with you.

113. 0:33:04

     That works for me.

114. 0:33:05

     All right. Well, that's good. Now we do have one other measure on the, on the docket today. I don't know if we got the, uh, the, the hatchet from the, uh, is it upper chamber?

115. 0:33:16

     This is the Senate.

116. 0:33:19

     Yeah.

117. 0:33:20

     Don't tell my uncle I forgot the word grand.

118. 0:33:26

     All right. If you'll, uh, tell us your bill number and the, uh, LC number we're working off of.

119. 0:33:31

     All right. This would be Senate Bill 384, LC 39489S.

120. 0:33:38

     93S?

121. 0:33:39

     Yes, sir.

122. 0:33:41

     Okay. Gotcha. That's it.

123. 0:33:42

     Is, is that the one you have?

124. 0:33:43

     That's it, 4893S.

125. 0:33:45

     Yes, 893S. Uh, well, thank you for the hearing and, um, members of the committee. This bill started out as a simple idea, and because of the complexity of the way the system is, it's, you know, rather long. But in a nutshell, this bill creates a optional five-year motor vehicle registration. Um, essentially right now when you have to go register your vehicle every year, you gotta go down to the tag office. Uh, this would just allow you to buy at one time a five-year tag, and you pay the same amount as if you were to buy five individual years.

126. 0:34:22

     Um, I'm happy to go through section by section to explain why, um, it does have to be that long, because if you look at sections 1 through 3, um, this deals with emissions compliance for five-year registrations. In some counties, or there are 13 counties in the state of Georgia where you have to pass emissions. So this certifies that emissions certificates remain valid for one inspection term and requires annual emissions compliance even if you do opt into the five-year plan.

127. 0:34:59

     It explicitly authorizes counties to suspend a five-year registration if emit- emissions compliant is not maintained, and it preserves existing penalties and DOT funding for enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance. So the five-year registration, and this is the key takeaway, does not mean five-year emissions exemption. So if you go to section four, this is where the enforcement mechanisms for an, an emissions would come in.

128. 0:35:30

     This allows, section four allows the Department of Revenue to send electronic notices for emissions non-compliance only if the owner voluntarily chooses the five-year option. So essentially right now with your insurance on your car- It's in an electronic system with emissions. You have to go to the emissions s- wherever you get them inspected, take it to the tag office. If you sign up for the five-year option, which is an opt-in, completely optional, you automatically have to opt in to electronic notification, which means if you don't get your emissions completed for that calendar year, and they, and, and it's not communicated with the tag office that your emission was complete, then they will send you electronic notifications letting you know that your emissions is out of date and you're about to, um, lose your registration.

129. 0:36:23

     Section five, just the definition of eligible motor vehicle. Uh, this, or this would be for vehicles that have paid the TAVT. It excludes commercial vehicles and excludes alternative fuel vehicles. That's to prevent fleet abu- abuse, and alternative vehicles are taxed differently. Um, so every year the amount that we charge for alternative fuel vehicles is different.

130. 0:36:55

     We could not project a five-year, uh, tag for them because we don't know what we'll, we'll charge each year. So that's why alternative fuel vehicles are exempt from this five-year registration. Section six, this is pretty important. There are no refunds or credits. So if you opt in to this and you buy a five-year tag, so on our license plates, for example, and you don't get reelected, well, you don't get your money back. So if you're gonna buy the five-year tag, you give the state the money and you do not get it back.

131. 0:37:25

     Um, section seven, this is just the core authorization for five-year registration. So it just authorizes owners of vehicles, eligible vehicles starting on July 1, 2027 to choose either the annual registration or the five-year registration. Uh, requires payment of five times the annual registration fee, confirms emissions requirements still apply annually, and authorizes the Department of Re- re- DOR to promulgate rules.

132. 0:37:57

     So once again, it's optional. It's an u- upfront payment, and there's no fee discount. Uh, section eight, these are just the registration period definitions. Uh, section nine, tag agent reporting. This authorizes the Department of, or the DOR to adopt rules governing distribution of funds related to five-year registrations and specialty plates. I started this process working on this bill in October, right around the time that my registration was due. And I've worked with the DOR.

133. 0:38:30

     As you are aware, if you've been here, we, we vote on a lot of different tags. Um, some of the tags are tied with colleges, um, for example, and when you buy a tag for a college, the college gets a portion of that. So if you buy a five-year tag, there's gonna be some, uh, not confusion, but it's gonna change the way we collect those fees, and this just authorizes the Department of Revenue to either, you know, parse it out and send it to them a little bit each year, or they can send it all at once.

134. 0:39:03

     It just gives them the freedom to promulgate those rules as they see fit. Section 10, these are the plate decals and transfers. So right now, if you have a vehicle that has a tag, you buy, you sell your vehicle, buy another vehicle, same class, you can transfer that tag. This just incorporates the existing rules to a five-year registration. So if you do buy a five-year registration, and you could transfer that tag now under the annual registration, um, plan, you can do the same for the five-year.

135. 0:39:37

     Sections 11 through 28, these are, all of these sections address the specialty, prestige, military, and honorary plates. I kinda went into that earlier. Section 29, fee structure. Once again, five-year registration fee. Whatever the license plate costs you for one year, you just multiply it by five. And there's obviously different types of plates that you can buy, but whatever it costs you for one year, you have to multiply it by five to get the five-year option.

136. 0:40:07

     Section 30 goes back into the emissions reporting and enforcement. Uh, with the electronic notification, if you do fall outside your window to register your emissions, it's a 30-day cure period. It's automatic suspension for non-compliance, and it's a $60 regist- or restoration fee with $10 retained by the county. This enforcement is actually stronger than under current law right now. And then sections 31 through 32 is just the effective date.

137. 0:40:40

     I wanted it to be a little bit earlier, uh, but this was negotiated with the DOR, so it'll be effective July 1, 2027. I'm happy to answer any questions on the bill.

138. 0:40:53

     Uh, you do have, do have a few questions. Uh, on the cost, you pay five years up front, uh, far as the s- like, the locals, I think they get a dollar each year when you renew your tag. Would they, would they get $5 to-

139. 0:41:06

     Yes

140. 0:41:06

     ... for doing that? So that's, they don't just-

141. 0:41:08

     Everything stays the same.

142. 0:41:09

     That, that stays the same. So they, they would get five, $5, okay. Uh, uh, cost to the state for creating the new tags. Is there a cost or a savings by doing, doing this? Do you know what that would be?

143. 0:41:21

     It would be, to my understanding, it's gonna be negligible. They do, you know, they, they have to buy paper for the sticker. Um, obviously, if you're, if you have a large number of people sign up for the five-year tag, they're not having to buy new stickers. There's actually gonna be one sticker for a five-year tag. Uh, at the request of my daughter, I have spoken with the DOR, and at least the first five-year tag sticker's gonna be fluorescent pink. Um, but I, I think the costs are gonna be negligible. There won't be any additional burden.

144. 0:41:53

     All right. Let's see who. Chairman Powell, number 22.

145. 0:41:57

     Yeah, I've got. Go back to section six. I'm looking at that language, and I keep trying to understand what you're trying to do. But, and it says in this that if, if you look down there, it's, uh, there'll be no refund, cancellation, termination, or transfer. So does this have any effect that right now we transfer tags if you buy a new vehicle? Can you transfer that tag? Does it have any effect on that? Because when you do it today, you, you're automatically gonna pay the TAVT-

146. 0:42:27

     TAVT

147. 0:42:27

     ... tax. So this, would this not have any effect on the transfer from one vehicle to another, that tag?

148. 0:42:34

     No, 'cause what we did several years ago-

149. 0:42:38

     Okay

150. 0:42:38

     ... is you do pay the TAVT up front, and then you have to pay, if you don't have a vanity tag or anything, it's $20 ad valorem tax for that tag. Um, right now you can transfer it if it's within the same class. So if you buy an F-150 and sold an F-150, you transfer your tag. You can do that now. This doesn't change that. If you have a five-year tag and in year three you buy a new F-150, you can still transfer it like you can today.

151. 0:43:05

     And Revenue signed off that they don't see any problems with doing what the intent of this legislation is?

152. 0:43:11

     This was DOR language.

153. 0:43:14

     He, he, he's giving me a thumbs up back there, so he, we, we're good.

154. 0:43:17

     There he is, yeah.

155. 0:43:18

     Second question, if I might. You know, we had a bill that came in front of this committee a few weeks ago about doing away with the decals.

156. 0:43:25

     Mm-hmm.

157. 0:43:28

     And I'm just curious if you even thought about that, because the case that was made in this very committee was that these decals are pretty well a useless deal now.

158. 0:43:40

     Had you thought about that?

159. 0:43:44

     When I first wrote this bill, I didn't have that in mind. What I had in mind was just convenience in doing a five-year registration. I think that doing away with the decals completely is gonna be a much bigger, uh, conversation. I know the Sheriff's Association has weighed in on that. I know that a lot of times that tag is how they identify, if you don't have a tag reader, which not all sheriff's departments do across the state. If you don't have a tag reader, the tag is, or the sticker is actually how they can tell if a tag's expired or not.

160. 0:44:17

     I think eventually we can move to that. I don't know if the state's in a position right now to do that, but I would love to eventually get to that. Uh, but in the meantime, I'd prefer to only have to do it once every five years if we can.

161. 0:44:30

     Any good opportunity.

162. 0:44:31

     That's right.

163. 0:44:34

     All right. All right, number 19. Representative McClain.

164. 0:44:37

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess this is one of them old bills that, that I always think that, uh, I'm glad that you know how many counties, uh, have emissions, 'cause a lot of folks do not know that.

165. 0:44:49

     Right.

166. 0:44:49

     There's 13 counties. There's 159 counties in Georgia. There's 146 that do not. Um, and I think that's always been my concern is, is that we've got 13 counties that's carrying everybody in the State of Georgia, uh, which has a, um, a problem with, well, I shouldn't say with me, 'cause I'm in one of those 13 counties, Gwinnett. Um, I guess my, my question should be, um, is, uh, if I'm in Gwinnett and I decide to move way down in South Georgia or North Georgia and that doesn't have emissions, uh, would they know that I don't need an emissions anymore, or how would that work?

167. 0:45:26

     I'm just...

168. 0:45:28

     So in the, under the current system, annual registration, when you move down there and you register as a resident-

169. 0:45:35

     Mm-hmm

170. 0:45:35

     ... there, you would transfer your tag to that county. Once you transfer your tag to that county, if it doesn't have emissions requirement, you would no longer have to do it. So if you had the five-year tag that you got in Gwinnett, once you move down to Ware County, uh, then you would no longer be subject to emissions. And that would be put into the system, and you would no longer have to, have to get that. Just buying the five-year tag doesn't automatically require you to get emissions. I plan on buying a five-year tag if this passes.

171. 0:46:05

     I live in Habersham County. We don't have emissions.

172. 0:46:08

     Mm-hmm.

173. 0:46:08

     I won't be subject to that.

174. 0:46:09

     Okay. Uh, Mr. Chairman, just to follow up, I guess I want to say on, on lines 156 and 57 I really like, because you're saying electrical vehicles are not required to have a, um, the five, you know. I mean, they don't, they opt out or how, how is that working? And then I really like 157 because you got moped heads.

175. 0:46:30

     Yeah. Well, they, they pay a $200 a year fee now for EVs, is, is the way it is now, I think, isn't it, for annual?

176. 0:46:38

     Yeah, the, I, I know when we were discussing the elec- the alternative fuel vehicles-

177. 0:46:44

     Mm-hmm

178. 0:46:44

     ... the way that they price the annual registration is different than, uh, normal vehicles. I'll, I don't know, but regular vehicles.

179. 0:46:54

     Yeah.

180. 0:46:54

     So we had to exempt them. They're, they're not allowed to opt into this.

181. 0:46:57

     I, I was just so, when I saw 157, I was kinda happy that you had moped heads in there.

182. 0:47:02

     Yeah.

183. 0:47:02

     So, so maybe my moped head bill will move. Thank you.

184. 0:47:05

     Yeah.

185. 0:47:05

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

186. 0:47:08

     All right. Do we have any further questions? Motion to pass. All right. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion?

187. 0:47:19

     Question.

188. 0:47:20

     We have a question.

189. 0:47:20

     Is this the governor's bill or is this your bill?

190. 0:47:22

     This is my bill.

191. 0:47:23

     So we can put APO on here and not offend anybody.

192. 0:47:28

     I withdraw that.

193. 0:47:31

     Well- How did he do that? He, he had about, uh, about half the Senate has signed the bill, so I mean, that's... But any- anyway, all right, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? All right, all in favor. What? I was gonna tell you, that is, uh, actually not half the Senate. That's all that's left after the R159. Yeah. I, I, I'll agree with that. All right. All right. Back, motion to second. Uh, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, lights on. All right.

194. 0:47:59

     Thank you very much.

195. 0:48:00

     All right.

196. 0:48:03

     And the meeting is adjourned.

197. 0:48:11

     Uh, who's your sponsor?

198. 0:48:15

     Uh, can I get back to you? I'm not, I haven't picked a speaker yet, but I'll get him-

199. 0:48:19

     Get the tag guy.

200. 0:48:20

     Come on, baby.

201. 0:48:26

     I'm