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HB102 • 2026

Disabled veteran license plates; surviving spouses authorized to receive distinctive spouse's plate

Disabled veteran license plates; surviving spouses authorized to receive distinctive spouse's plate

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Underwood
Last action
2026-03-11
Official status
Passed by House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Disabled Veteran Spouse License Plates

This bill allows the surviving spouses of disabled veterans to receive special license plates called 'Disabled Veteran Spouse' plates.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes a law to allow surviving spouses of deceased disabled veterans to get 'Disabled Veteran Spouse' license plates.
  • Requires these spouses to return the original 'Disabled Veteran' plate and provide proof of marriage to the veteran.
  • Sets an issuance fee of $5 for the new plates, which covers all other regular fees.
  • Limits the use of the special plates to one private motor vehicle owned by the surviving spouse.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Surviving spouses of disabled veterans who qualify under the law.
  • Judges of probate and issuing officials responsible for handling license plate applications.

Terms To Know

Disabled Veteran
A veteran with a physical disability that requires special accommodations or exceeds 50% disability according to military standards.
License Plate
A metal plate attached to a vehicle showing the registration number and other information required by law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not allow 'Disabled Veteran Spouse' license plates to be used for parking in zones reserved for people with disabilities.
  • It is unclear how many surviving spouses will apply for these new plates once the law takes effect.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

MSQVA1W-1

R 851

Adopted

Plain English: MSQVA1W-1 01/19/2026 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-3556 SUB HB102 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY SUBSTITUTE TO HB102 OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD Page 1 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, certain distinctive license plates may be retained by the surviving spouse of the original plate recipient.

  • MSQVA1W-1 01/19/2026 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-3556 SUB HB102 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY SUBSTITUTE TO HB102 OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD Page 1 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, certain distinctive license plates may be retained by the surviving spouse of the original plate recipient.
  • This bill would authorize the surviving spouse of a deceased "Disabled Veteran" license plate recipient to be issued a new "Disabled Veteran Spouse" license plate.
  • This bill would also make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.
  • A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to license tags and plates; to amend Section 32-6-130, Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize surviving spouses of deceased "Disabled Veteran" license plate recipients to be issued "Disabled Veteran Spouse" license plates; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-11 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 852 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)

  2. 2026-03-11 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 851 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-03-11 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 104, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-03-11 House

    Engrossed

  5. 2026-03-11 House

    Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute Offered

  6. 2026-01-21 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  7. 2026-01-21 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  8. 2026-01-21 House

    Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute

  9. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  10. 2026-01-13 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Official Summary Text

Disabled veteran license plates; surviving spouses authorized to receive distinctive spouse's plate

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB102 ENGROSSED
Page 0
HB102
MSQVA1W-2
By Representative Underwood
RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 06-Jan-26
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HB102 Engrossed
Page 1
PFD: 06-Jan-26
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to license tags and plates; to amend Section
32-6-130, Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize surviving spouses
of deceased "Disabled Veteran" license plate recipients to be
issued "Disabled Veteran Spouse" license plates; and to make
nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing
code language to current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 32-6-130, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§32-6-130
(a) Any veteran, as defined in Section 31-5-1, who is a
resident of this state and who is suffering a physical
disability which that requires that any motor vehicle he or
she operates be equipped with special mechanical control
devices or whose physical disability exceeds 50 percent, upon
application accompanied by proof of eligibility to the judge
of probate of the county for the special license plates
provided herein , as may be prescribed by the State Department
of Revenue, and upon payment of five dollars ($5), unless
exempted from the payment of such the fee by law, shall be
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HB102 Engrossed
Page 2
exempted from the payment of such the fee by law, shall be
issued license plates, by the judge of probate as provided by
law, for private or pleasure motor vehicles , upon which, in .
In lieu of the number now prescribed by law shall be inscribed
in legible letters the words , "Disabled Veteran," and shall
designate the branch of service and an identifying number as
prescribed by the State Department of Revenue shall be
designated . The plates shall not be transferable. The fee
established by this section shall be in lieu of the regular
license fee now required for motor vehicles and shall be used
to defray the cost of issuing the distinctive license plates.
(b) In lieu of applying the registration fee of five
dollars ($5) to the disabled veteran license plate category
provided for in subsection (a), the registration fee may be
applied to any license plate category in which the disabled
veteran qualifies to obtain a license plate. Any additional
fee required for a plate from a distinctive or personalized
license plate category shall still be required in order to
obtain the plate.
(c)(1) There is established a "Disabled Veteran Spouse"
license plate to be issued to a surviving spouse of a
"Disabled Veteran" license plate recipient pursuant to this
subsection.
(2) The surviving spouse of a deceased "Disabled
Veteran" license plate recipient shall be issued a new
"Disabled Veteran Spouse" license plate for one private motor
vehicle owned by the surviving spouse for the remainder of the
spouse's lifetime or until the spouse's remarriage, upon:
a. Returning the "Disabled Veteran" license plate to
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HB102 Engrossed
Page 3
a. Returning the "Disabled Veteran" license plate to
the judge of probate or other issuing official;
b. Providing proof of marriage to the disabled veteran;
and
c. Paying an issuance fee of five dollars ($5) in lieu
of all other regular fees for license plates.
(3) This subsection shall not be construed to permit a
"Disabled Veteran Spouse" license plate recipient to park in
any parking zone designated reserved for handicapped
individuals with disabilities. "
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2027.
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HB102 Engrossed
Page 4
1, 2027.
House of Representatives
Read for the first time and referred
to the House of Representatives
committee on Public Safety and
Homeland Security
................13-Jan-26
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
0 amendments
................21-Jan-26
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 103
Nays 0
Abstains 2
................11-Mar-26
John Treadwell
Clerk
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