06 LC 34
0587
House
Bill 1237
By:
Representatives Talton of the
145th,
O`Neal of the
146th,
Murphy of the
23rd,
Scott of the
2nd,
and Hill of the
180th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to prestige and special license plates for certain persons
and vehicles, so as to provide for special license plates in honor of the
Georgia Association of Realtors; to provide for issuance, renewal, fees,
licensing agreements, applications, and transfers relative to such license
plates; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for
other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
3 of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to prestige and special license plates for certain persons and vehicles, is
amended by adding a new Code Section 40-2-86.18 to read as follows:
"(a)
There shall be issued special and distinctive vehicle license plates honoring
the Georgia Association of Realtors for their longstanding support of housing
opportunities for all citizens of this state, private property rights, and all
organizations that assist people in achieving the American dream of home
ownership, subject to the conditions set forth in this Code
section.
(b)
The commissioner shall design special distinctive license plates to honor the
Georgia Association of Realtors. The license plates must be of the same size as
general issue motor vehicle license plates and shall include a unique design and
identifying number, whereby the total number of characters does not exceed six.
No two recipients shall receive identically numbered plates. The graphic on the
special license plate shall be placed to the left of the alphanumeric characters
and shall be no larger than three inches by three inches. Such design shall not
provide space in which to indicate the name of the county of issuance. Any
person may request the assignment of the first of 100 in a series of license
plates upon payment of an additional initial registration fee of $25.00 for each
license plate requested.
(c)
Beginning January 1, 2007, any Georgia resident who is the owner of a motor
vehicle, except a vehicle registered under the International Registration Plan,
upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to registration and
licensing of motor vehicles and upon the payment of a manufacturing fee of
$25.00 in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee shall be issued
a license plate honoring the Georgia Association of Realtors. Revalidation
decals shall be issued for such license plates in the same manner as provided
for general issue license plates.
(d)
An applicant may request a license plate honoring the Georgia Association of
Realtors at any time during the
applicant́s
registration period. If such a license plate is to replace a current valid
license plate, such license plate shall be issued with appropriate decals
attached.
(e)
No special license plate authorized pursuant to this Code section shall be
issued except upon the receipt by the department of at least 1,000 applications.
The special license plate shall have an application period of two years after
the effective date of this Code section, for payment of the manufacturing fee.
After such time if the minimum number of applications is not met, the department
shall not continue to accept the manufacturing fee, and all fees shall be
refunded to applicants.
(f)
The department shall not be required to continue to manufacture the special
license plate if the number of active registrations falls below 500
registrations at any time during the five-year period as provided in subsection
(b) of Code Section 40-2-31. A current registrant may continue to renew such
special license plate during his or her annual registration period upon payment
of an additional $25.00 annual special tag fee which fee shall be collected by
the county tag agent at the time of collection of other registration fees and
shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34. The
department may continue to issue such special license plates that it has in its
inventory to assist in achieving the minimum number of registrations. If the
special license plate falls below 500 active registrations at any time during
the five-year period as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 40-2-31, the
department must receive 1,000 applications accompanied by the manufacturing fee
to continue to manufacture the license plate.
(g)
Georgia Association of Realtors license plates shall be transferred from one
vehicle to another vehicle in accordance with the provisions of Code Section
40-2-80.
(h)
Georgia Association of Realtors license plates shall be issued within 30 days of
application once the requirements of this Code section have been
met."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2006.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.