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'America First' specialty license plates heading to Georgia roads soon

By and
Published  May 15, 2025 7:52am EDT
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta
Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R–Dahlonega, shows a specialty article

Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R–Dahlonega, shows a specialty "America First" license plate in the Senate chamber during the 2024 legislative session. (Georgia Senate Press Office)

The Brief

    • A new law allowing Georgia drivers to purchase "America First" license plates will go into effect at the start of next year.
    • Revenue from the "America First" license plate will go into the state's general fund, and production will be discontinued if 1,000 prepaid applications are not reached by January 1, 2028.
    • Some Democratic lawmakers have been critical of the proposal, saying that the slogan "carries a history rooted in exclusion, division and the marginalization of communities."

ATLANTA - A new state law will soon allow Georgia drivers to purchase specialty license plates featuring President Donald Trump's "America First" campaign theme.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the measure on Wednesday.

What we know:

Senate Bill 291, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, and 24 other Republican senators, passed the Senate with a vote of 33 to 21 on April 4 after previously clearing the House.

The measure authorizes the Georgia Department of Revenue to begin issuing the "America First" plate without the standard requirement of 1,000 prepaid applications. 

If that threshold is not reached by Jan. 1, 2028, production of the plate would be discontinued.

The design would feature the American flag alongside the "America First" slogan. Revenue from the plate would be deposited into the state’s general fund.

Dig deeper:

Gooch had previously supported the plate design during the 2024 legislative session, when a similar proposal was introduced as Senate Bill 507. At the time, he described the plate as a symbol of national pride.

At that time, he said the plate "represents the tangible expression of patriotism and putting the needs of our country at the forefront."

"It provides Georgians with an opportunity to express their national pride, and underscores the importance of emphasizing domestic concerns like economic stability, national security, strong borders, and the protection of the rights of our citizens," Gooch said.

The other side:

Some Georgia Democratic lawmakers criticized the bill's passage, saying that the bill sent the wrong message to residents of the Peach State.

After the bill passed the House in April, state Rep. Doreen Carter, D-Lithonia, released a statement saying she was "deeply disappointed."

"Let me be clear—‘America First’ is not just a slogan. It carries a history rooted in exclusion, division and the marginalization of communities, especially Black Americans, immigrants and people of color," Carter said. "To place this phrase on a state-issued license plate is not merely symbolic—it is an endorsement of a narrative that has too often left many Georgians behind."

What's next:

With the signing of the bill by Gov. Kemp, it will now take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. 

GeorgiaNews