SB 76 Georgia Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 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, so as to establish a specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; to provide for related matters; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed May 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

LC 39 5134S/hrcs → SB 76/AP* · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly streamlined by removing provisions related to motor vehicle emission inspections, electronic notices, and funding penalties for counties. The focus shifted entirely to expanding special veteran license plates and adding a new specialty plate for Navy submarine service members.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from covering emission inspections, registration fees, and county enforcement to focusing exclusively on veteran and submarine service specialty license plates.

REQUIREMENT

All references to emission inspection certificates, five-year vehicle registration options, and electronic notification requirements were deleted.

ENFORCEMENT

Provisions allowing the state to withhold transportation funding from counties that fail to enforce emission inspections were removed.

ELIGIBILITY

A new specialty license plate was created specifically for United States Navy submarine service members.

The list of military medals qualifying for a free veteran license plate was expanded to include numerous new awards, such as the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

FISCAL

New fee structures were established, including a $25 manufacturing fee and additional annual fees for extra veteran plates or five-year renewals.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025 · House Apr 2, 2026

How they voted

50–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 55

Feb 13, 2025

D Democratic22

20 Yea 2

90% Yea

R Republican33

30 Yea 3

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 11, 2026

Signed into law

Act 485

upper

May 11, 2026

Signed into law

Senate Date Signed by Governor

upper

Apr 2, 2026

Introduced

House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Introduced

Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Senate Read and Referred

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

Senate Hopper

upper

11 primary · 0 co-sponsors