Distinctive motor vehicle license tag; authorize for supporters of Mississippi College School of Law.
SB2083 authorizes the Mississippi Department of Revenue to issue a distinctive motor vehicle license tag for supporters of the Mississippi College School of Law. To obtain the tag, a Mississippi resident must pay the usual vehicle taxes and registration fees plus an additional $30 annual fee, with the tag available for the vehicle registration year and renewable as long as the owner keeps the tag. The bill also provides for replacement tags if lost or stolen and requires surrender of the regular tag when the distinctive tag is issued.
The bill amends Section 27-19-56.549 of the Mississippi Code, which already governs a list of specialty license plates for various organizations, schools, civic groups, and causes. This measure adds Mississippi College School of Law to that list and sets out the administrative process for applications through county tax collectors, monthly remittance to the department, and distribution of the collected fees. Of the $30 additional fee, $24 goes to the beneficiary organization, while the remaining $6 is split among the Mississippi Burn Care Fund, the State Highway Fund, the special fund created in Section 27-19-44.2, and county tax collector retention for processing.
The general sentiment around the bill appears favorable and noncontroversial. The Senate passed SB2083 on February 5, 2025, by a vote of 51 yeas and 0 nays, indicating unanimous support among those voting. No committee transcript or recorded debate was provided, and the bill’s language suggests it is a routine specialty-tag authorization rather than a broader policy change.
The main point of discussion inherent in the bill is the creation of another special license plate and the associated fee distribution, rather than any substantive policy dispute. Potentially affected parties include Mississippi College School of Law supporters, the beneficiary organization receiving most of the proceeds, county tax collectors who process applications and retain a small portion of fees, and state funds that receive the remaining revenue. The bill also continues Mississippi’s practice of using specialty tags to support designated organizations and public funds.
SB2083 would amend Mississippi’s specialty license plate statute, Section 27-19-56.549, by adding Mississippi College School of Law as an eligible beneficiary organization for a distinctive motor vehicle tag. It establishes a $30 additional fee, sets the application and renewal process, and directs how the proceeds are divided among the law school, the Mississippi Burn Care Fund, the State Highway Fund, the special fund in Section 27-19-44.2, and county tax collectors. The bill would take effect July 1, 2025, and includes a repeal date of June 30, 2025, as written in the text.
The available voting record shows strong support: the Senate passed the bill 51-0 on February 5, 2025. No committee testimony or floor debate was provided, but the absence of recorded opposition and the unanimous vote suggest the measure was viewed as a routine, low-conflict specialty tag bill. The overall tone is positive and procedural rather than contentious.
There is little visible contention in the materials provided. The bill’s only likely points of interest are whether Mississippi College School of Law should be added to the state’s growing list of specialty plate beneficiaries and how the $30 fee is allocated among the beneficiary organization and state funds. Because the bill passed the Senate unanimously and no committee discussion was included, no organized opposition or major policy dispute is evident from the record.