(a) The General Assembly finds that during recent years prior to and including 1997 there have been proposed and enacted numerous laws providing for the issuance of special license plates for certain persons and vehicles. The General Assembly finds that there exists a need for a standardized administrative process to provide for the authorization of issuance of such special license plates and that the public interest will be best served by such a standardized administrative process. While recognizing that the legislature may not abridge its powers, the General Assembly declares that it is in the public interest of this state for future proposals for special license plates to be governed by the administrative process established by this Code section rather than by the legislative process.

(b) The commissioner is authorized to adopt rules and regulations for the issuance of special license plates for groups of individuals and vehicles. Such rules and regulations shall provide that no such special license plate shall be issued except upon the application of at least 500 persons. The rules and regulations shall provide for the manner of such applications. The rules and regulations shall provide that upon receipt of the requisite number of applications, a special license plate may be issued as provided in this Code section. The rules and regulations may provide for exceptions whereby a special plate will not be issued if the issuance of the plate would adversely affect public safety. The rules and regulations shall provide for the design and manufacture of such special license plates and shall provide that such plates shall be readily recognizable as Georgia license plates through the adoption of a standard design containing a smaller space for the insertion of an appropriate logo or graphic identifying the special nature of the license plate. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this subsection, the design of each special license plate shall be in the discretion of the commissioner.

(c) Any resident motor vehicle owner desiring a special license plate provided for in this Code section shall submit to the commissioner a completed application form for such plate with a $25.00 manufacturing fee in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee. Upon complying with the motor vehicle registration and licensing laws and the rules and regulations authorized in this Code section, a resident motor vehicle owner shall be issued a special license plate if the issuance of such plate is otherwise authorized under this Code section.

(d) Special license plates issued under this Code section shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal, as provided in Code Section 40-2-31, upon payment of an additional $25.00 annual registration fee which fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of collection of other registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34. Special license plates issued under this Code section may be transferred between vehicles as provided in Code Section 40-2-80.

(e) Nothing in this Code section shall affect any special license plate provided for by any other law in existence on or becoming effective on May 1, 1997.