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SB0203 • 2026

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration

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

Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Massey, Howell
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 479
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text excerpt does not provide specific details about new specialty license plates or extensions, only that it amends Title 55, Chapter 4 of Tennessee Code Annotated relative to license plates.

New Specialty License Plates for Tennessee

This legislation creates new specialty license plates to support various organizations and extends deadlines for some existing plates.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates new specialty earmarked license plates for several groups, including the Order of the Eastern Star, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, and others.
  • Extends the deadline until July 1, 2026, for certain new specialty plates to meet minimum issuance requirements.
  • Authorizes funds from the Historic Franklin plate sales to support the Chester Inn State Historic Site.
  • Allows motorcycle plates specifically for paratroopers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to purchase specialty license plates in Tennessee.
  • Organizations that benefit from the sale of these new plates.
  • Motorcycle owners who are paratroopers and can now get special plates.

Terms To Know

Specialty Earmarked License Plates
License plates designed to support specific organizations or causes, with fees going directly to those groups.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money each plate will generate for the supported organizations.
  • It is unclear if there are limits on the number of specialty plates that can be issued.
  • Some deadlines for existing plates have been extended, but it's not clear what happens after July 1, 2026.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0212

Plain English: The 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 a new specialty license plate for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, with proceeds allocated to support their mission.
  • Creates a new specialty license plate for Sigma Gamma Rho and adds them to an existing list.
  • Adds a new specialty license plate option for the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, supporting their cultural enrichment programs.
  • The amendment text is lengthy and includes multiple sections that introduce several different specialty plates. Not all details are summarized here due to space constraints.
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 the original deadline or what happens after July 1, 2026.
  • It is unclear how many plates need to be issued by this new deadline and whether there are penalties for non-compliance.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0203

Plain English: The 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 the Grand Ole Opry specialty license plate to meet certain issuance requirements until July 1, 2026.

  • Extends the deadline for the Grand Ole Opry new specialty license plate to comply with minimum issuance requirements until July 1, 2026.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens after July 1, 2026, if the plate still doesn't meet the requirements.
  • It is unclear how many plates need to be issued by this date or what the exact minimum issuance requirements are.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 479

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    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

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  13. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  14. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0437)

  15. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0188)

  16. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  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

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

  20. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  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

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

  30. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  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

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

  37. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

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

  41. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  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

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  49. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  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 
HOUSE BILL 212
By Howell

SENATE BILL 203
By Massey

SB0203
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.