HB22 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Dickie Drake
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Motor vehicles, distinctive license plates, professional firefighters tag, penalties for falsely obtaining, veteran tag for members of Legion of Valor without fee or taxes, Secs. 32-6-250, 32-6-251 am'd.
Summary: HB22 would establish distinctive license plates for paid professional firefighters and certain veterans groups, establish penalties for falsely obtaining a firefighter tag, and modify related license plate rules and tax treatment.
What This Bill Does
It creates a distinctive license plate system for paid professional firefighters, including a design coordinated with the state association of firefighters and issuance through probate or other license officials. It also authorizes free or special plates for Medal of Honor recipients, Purple Heart recipients (with ad valorem tax applicable to them), Legion of Valor members, and former prisoners of war, to be used on privately owned passenger vehicles, with rules on eligibility, issuance, and limits on how many plates a person may receive. The bill adds a penalty (Class C misdemeanor) for anyone who falsely obtains a professional firefighter plate, and it amends existing plate statutes to incorporate these new plate categories and their fee/tax provisions, while noting a local-funding impact that is exempt under Amendment 621 for crimes included in the bill.

Who It Affects
Paid professional firefighters and those who join or are listed as eligible for the professional firefighter plate, who would be able to apply for a distinctive plate and use it on privately owned passenger vehicles (with regular license fees applying).
Recipients and potential recipients of MOH, Purple Heart, Legion of Valor, and former prisoner of war plates (including widows or other eligible residents), who would receive distinctive permanent plates with specific fee/tax rules and limits on plate quantity, affecting how their vehicles are registered and taxed.

Key Provisions
Section 1 defines 'professional firefighter' for purposes of the firefighter distinctive plate.
Section 2 allows a paid professional firefighter to obtain a distinctive license plate upon application, with a design created by the state association of professional firefighters and issued like other plates; plates are for privately owned private passenger vehicles and require payment of regular license fees.
Section 2 requires proof of eligibility (certificate from department chief) for joining after December 1 of any year and allows issuance of the plate upon identification.
Section 3 imposes a Class C misdemeanor penalty on anyone who falsely obtains or certifies an unqualified individual to obtain a professional firefighter plate.
Section 4 requires the distinctive firefighter plates to be prepared and issued starting January 1, 2016, and thereafter as for other plates.
Section 5 amends 32-6-250 and 32-6-251 to authorize distinctive permanent plates for Medal of Honor recipients or widows, Purple Heart recipients, Legion of Valor members, and former prisoners of war, to be issued without fee or tax (except Purple Heart recipients pay ad valorem taxes); limits on plate issuance and eligibility are provided, with provisions for additional plates if the person qualifies and pays applicable taxes.
Section 5 specifies plate designs (MOH, LOV, PHM, POW) and requires a committee appointed by the chief legislative sponsors to prescribe the design and color scheme.
Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.
Section 7 notes a local-funding impact but states the bill is exempt from Amendment 621 requirements because it defines a new or amended crime or falls under specified exceptions.
Section 8 sets the effective date as the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Motor Vehicles