05 SB69/FA/2
Senate
Bill 69
By:
Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Schaefer of the 50th, Stephens of the 27th, Smith
of the 52nd, Rogers of the 21st and others
AS
PASSED SENATE
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 license plates and special plates for certain
persons and vehicles, so as to provide for special and distinctive Choose Life,
Inc., license plates; to provide for issuance, renewal, fees, licensing
agreements, applications, transfers, and disposition of funds 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 license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles,
is amended by adding a new Code Section 40-2-86.10 to read as
follows:
"40-2-86.10.
(a)
The commissioner, in cooperation with Choose Life, Inc., shall design a special
license plate to be issued displaying the Choose Life, Inc., logo. The words
'Choose Life' must appear at the bottom. The Choose Life, Inc., 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. It shall not be a requirement that a county
name decal shall be fixed and displayed on license plates issued under this Code
section.
(b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Code section, this Code section
shall not be implemented until such time as the State of Georgia has, through a
licensing agreement or otherwise, received such licenses or other permissions as
may be required to implement this Code section. The design of the initial
edition of the Choose Life, Inc., license plates, as well as the design of
subsequent editions and excepting only any part or parts of the designs owned by
others and licensed to the state, shall be owned solely by the State of Georgia
for its exclusive use and control, except as authorized by the commissioner.
The commissioner may take such steps as may be necessary to give notice of and
protect such right, including the copyright or copyrights. However, such steps
shall be cumulative of the ownership and exclusive use and control established
by this subsection as a matter of law, and no person shall reproduce or
otherwise use such design or designs, except as authorized by the
commissioner.
(c)
This Act, all requirements and sections of the same shall also apply to a tag to
be created and designed to read; ‘Adopt A Child.’
(d)
Beginning in calendar year 2006, 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 Choose Life, Inc., license plate. Special license plates issued under
this Code section shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as
provided in Code Section 40-2-31 upon payment of an additional $25.00 annual
registration fee, which fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the
time of collection of other registration fees and remitted to the state as
provided in Code Section 40-2-34.
(e)
An applicant may request a Choose Life, Inc., license plate any time during the
applicant́s
registration period. If such a license plate is to replace a current valid
license plate, the Choose Life, Inc., license plate shall be issued with
appropriate decals attached.
(f)
Choose Life, Inc., license plates shall be transferred from one vehicle to
another vehicle in accordance with the provisions of Code Section
40-2-42.
(g)
Choose Life, Inc., license plates shall be issued within 30 days of
application."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.