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HB0212 • 2026

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 4, relative to license plates.

Healthcare
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Howell, Massey
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details on how much funding each plate will generate or if all new plates will meet their issuance requirements by the extended deadlines.

Creating New Specialty License Plates

This bill creates new specialty license plates for various organizations and extends deadlines for some existing ones.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates new specialty earmarked license plates for twenty-five different groups, including charities, sports teams, and historical sites.
  • Extends the deadline until July 1, 2026, for several new specialty license plates to meet minimum issuance requirements.
  • Allows funds from the Historic Franklin plate sales to support the Chester Inn State Historic Site.
  • Permits motorcycle plates specifically for paratroopers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to purchase specialty license plates for their vehicles.
  • Organizations that can now apply for new specialty plates.
  • Historic sites and charities that will receive funding from plate sales.

Terms To Know

Specialty Earmarked License Plates
License plates designed to raise money for specific causes or organizations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much funding each plate will generate.
  • It is unclear if all the new specialty plates will meet their issuance requirements by the extended deadlines.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0212

Plain English: This amendment adds several new types of specialty license plates in Tennessee for organizations such as the Order of the Eastern Star, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, and Pickleball.

  • Adds a new specialty license plate option for the Order of the Eastern Star.
  • Introduces a new specialty license plate for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
  • Creates a new specialty license plate for the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball.
  • Establishes a new Pickleball specialty license plate.
  • The amendment text is truncated and does not provide complete information about all proposed changes, particularly regarding Man2Man Prostate Cancer Group.
Amendment 2-0 to HB0212

Plain English: The amendment extends the deadline for a specific specialty license plate related to Prince Hall Affiliated Masonic Family to comply with Tennessee's minimum issuance requirements until July 1, 2026.

  • Extends the deadline for the Prince Hall Affiliated Masonic Family specialty license plate to meet the state’s minimum issuance requirements from an unspecified date to July 1, 2026.
  • The amendment does not specify when the original deadline was set or what the current status of the license plate's issuance is.
  • It is unclear how many plates need to be issued by this new deadline and whether there were any previous extensions for this specialty plate.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0203

Plain English: This amendment adds several new types of specialty license plates for various organizations and groups in Tennessee.

  • Adds a new specialty license plate option for the Order of the Eastern Star, with funds going to Rachel Chapter 30.
  • Introduces specialty license plates for Sigma Gamma Rho, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, Pickleball, and Man2Man Prostate Cancer Group.
  • Specifies that each new specialty plate must have a design representative of the respective organization and funds from their sale will be used exclusively to support the organization's activities.
  • The exact fees for these new specialty plates are not specified in this amendment text.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0203

Plain English: This amendment extends the deadline for a new Grand Ole Opry specialty license plate to meet certain issuance requirements until July 1, 2026.

  • Adds a new subsection (d) to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-328, which allows the Grand Ole Opry specialty license plate more time to meet minimum issuance requirements.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens after July 1, 2026, if the plate still hasn't met the requirements.
  • It is unclear how many plates need to be issued or what specific requirements must be met by that date.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 479

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 479

  4. 2025-05-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 94, Nays 0 PNV 0 HB0212

  10. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Message Calendar 2 for 4/22/2025

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0437)

  13. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0188)

  14. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  15. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  17. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  18. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  19. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  20. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/16/2025

  21. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/16/2025

  22. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  23. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0

  24. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0341)

  25. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0158)

  26. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  27. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

  29. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  30. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  31. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/8/2025

  32. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  33. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  34. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  35. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  36. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/25/2025

  37. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  38. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  39. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee

  40. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  41. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  42. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

  43. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  44. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  45. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Transportation Committee

  46. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  47. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  48. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  49. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  50. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  51. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 14, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #2 AND PASSED HOUS BILL 212, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the followin
g revisions to present law regarding license plates:

NEW SPECIALTY EARMARKED LICENSE PLATES



Creates a new specialty earmarked plate for the following:



Order of the Eastern Star


The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee


Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball


Pickleball


Man2Man Prostate Cancer Group


Tennessee Dachshund Rescue


Singing for Change


Florida A&M University


Tennessee Environment & Restoration


Nashville Sounds


Donate Life


YMCA


Support Our Veterans


STAR Riding Therapy


ALS Association


Harwood Center


Memories of Honor


LaMiss Tenn Kiwanis


DARE


Remote Area Medical


ALS Research


Youth Mental Health Matters


Slow Down Move Over


Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature


Jack and Jill of America


Friends of Warner Parks


Tennessee Fallen Firefighters

SPECIAL
TY EARMARKED LICENSE PLATES



Creates a specialty earmarked plate for Sigma Gamma Rho

EXTENSIONS



Grants an extension until July 1, 2026 for the following new specialty earmarked license plates to meet applicable minimum issuance requirements:



Historic Franklin


Nashville Humane Association


Respiratory Care


Niswonger Children's Hospital


Golfer


Rolling Thunder


Tennessee Ronald McDonald House Charities


Ovarian Cancer Awareness


University of Tennessee Health Science Center


I RECYCLE


Tennessee Grocers Convenience Store Association


End Overdose


Northeast State Community College


Bays Mountain

MISCELLANEOUS



Authorizes the funds generated from the issuance of the Historic Franklin new specialty earmarked license plate to also be used to provide financial support for the Chester Inn State Historic Site.



Authorizes the issuance of motorcycle plates for paratroopers.

AMENDMENT #2 extends the time within which the Prince Hall Affiliated Masonic Family new specialty earmarked license plate must meet the app
licable minimum issuance requirements from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.

ON APRIL 21, 2025, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 212 FOR SENATE BILL 203, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 212, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 provides that
the Grand Ol
e Opry new specialty earmarked license plate has until July 1, 2026, to meet the applicable minimum issuance requirements
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 203
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 212
By Howell

HB0212
000128
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 4, relative to license plates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-225(a), is amended by adding
the following at the end of the subsection:
The application and proof may be submitted electronically, by mail, or in person.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.