sb538_Committee_sub_LC_34_0660S_4.html
06 LC 34 0660S

The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee offered the following substitute to SB 538:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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 supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom; to provide for issuance, renewal, fees, licensing agreements, applications, and transfers relative to such license plates; to provide that spouses of members of active reserve components of the United States military shall be entitled to keep the free license plate when the member is killed in a combat arena; to provide that spouses of National Guard members shall be entitled to keep the free license plate when the member is killed in a combat arena; 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:
"40-2-86.18.
(a) There shall be issued special and distinctive vehicle license plates supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom, subject to the conditions set forth in this Code section.
(b) The commissioner shall, in cooperation with the supporters of this license plate, design special distinctive license plates supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom. 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. In that space will be the inscription 'Global War on Terrorism.' 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 supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom, and 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 supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom 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 period as provided for 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 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) License plates supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom shall be transferred from one vehicle to another vehicle in accordance with the provisions of Code Section 40-2-80.
(h) License plates supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Iraqi freedom shall be issued within 30 days of application once the requirements of this Code section have been met."

SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended by adding a new subsection (d) to Code Section 40-2-65, relating to distinctive license plates for members of the active reserve of the United States military, to read as follows:
"(d) The spouse of a member of the active reserve of the United States military who is killed while serving in a combat arena shall continue to be eligible to be issued a distinctive license plate as provided in this Code section so long as such spouse does not remarry."

SECTION 3.
Said article is further amended by adding a new subsection (e) to Code Section 40-2-66, relating to distinctive license plates for members of the National Guard, to read as follows:
"(e) The spouse of a member of the National Guard who is killed while serving in a combat arena shall continue to be eligible to be issued a distinctive license plate as provided in this Code section so long as such spouse does not remarry."

SECTION 4.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2006.

SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.