HB292 • 2026

Motor vehicles; disability percentage for disabled veteran's license plate revised

Taxes

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Rehm
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text shows editing marks (strikethroughs and insertions) indicating the change from 'exceeds' to 'is at least', confirming the specific legal adjustment.

HB292: Changing the Disability Rule for Veteran License Plates

This bill changes the rule so that disabled veterans with a physical disability of at least 50 percent can get special license plates, instead of only those whose disability exceeds 50 percent.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law to allow veterans with exactly 50 percent physical disability to qualify for special plates by changing 'exceeds' to 'is at least'.
Updates Section 32-6-130 of the Code of Alabama 1975 regarding motor vehicle registration.
Keeps the requirement that applicants must pay a $5 fee unless exempted from payment by law.

Who It Names or Affects

Disabled veterans living in Alabama with a physical disability requiring special mechanical controls or rated at least 50 percent.
Judges of probate in each county who issue the license plates upon application and proof of eligibility.
The State Department of Revenue, which prescribes rules for these plates.

Terms To Know

Disabled Veteran: A veteran defined in Section 31-5-1 who is a state resident and has a physical disability requiring special mechanical controls or rated at least 50 percent.
Judge of Probate: The county official responsible for issuing these special license plates to eligible veterans upon application.

Limits and Unknowns

This law does not take effect until January 1, 2027.
Veterans must provide proof of eligibility and pay the $5 fee unless exempted by other laws.
The plates are for private or pleasure motor vehicles only.

Bill History

2026-02-12 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-11 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-05 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 303 (Yeas 102, Nays 0)
2026-02-05 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-02-05 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-05 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund
2026-01-29 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-01-28 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-20 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-20 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs

Official Summary Text

Motor vehicles; disability percentage for disabled veteran's license plate revised

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB292 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB292
4UQAD33-1
By Representatives Rehm, Starnes, Shaw, Brown, Paschal,
Oliver, Robertson, Stringer, Whorton, Sorrells, Smith, Hammett
RFD: Military and Veterans' Affairs
First Read: 20-Jan-26
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4UQAD33-1 07/18/2025 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-2289
Page 1
First Read: 20-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, any disabled veteran whose
physical disability is more than 50 percent may obtain
a special disabled veteran license plate.
This bill would allow any disabled veteran whose
physical disability is at least 50 percent to obtain a
special disabled veteran license plate.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to motor vehicle registration; to amend
Section 32-6-130, Code of Alabama 1975, to allow any disabled
veteran whose physical disability is at least 50 percent to
obtain a special disabled veteran license plate.
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
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HB292 INTRODUCED
Page 2
she operates be equipped with special mechanical control
devices or whose physical disability exceeds is at least 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 issued license plates, by the judge of probate as provided
by law , for private or pleasure motor vehicles , upon which,
in.
(b) 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.
(c) The plates shall not be transferable.
(d) 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)(e) 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."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on January
1, 2027.
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