B 26-0135 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Purple Heart License Plate Amendment Act of 2025

This bill would require the District of Columbia to create and issue specialty license plates specifically for Purple Heart Award recipients and their surviving spouses or children. It establishes a one-time $10 application fee and an annual $10 display fee, both deposited into the Office of Veterans Affairs Fund. Applicants must provide documentation proving they received the Purple Heart Award, which recognizes military personnel wounded or killed by enemy action. The legislation addresses a current gap where District residents cannot access a dedicated Purple Heart plate, unlike most states.
Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Dec 2025
Council Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Signed May 21, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was finalized as the 'Purple Heart License Plate Amendment Act of 2026' (changed from 2025) and includes a new section requiring a fiscal impact statement. The core policy provisions regarding the issuance of special license plates for Purple Heart recipients and their surviving spouses remain unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding eligibility and plate design is unchanged; however, the enactment year was updated from 2025 to 2026, and a fiscal impact statement was added as a standard legislative requirement.
TIMELINE

The act's citation year was changed from '2025' to '2026'.

REQUIREMENT

A new Section 4 was added to formally adopt the fiscal impact statement included in the committee report.

TECHNICAL

Sections 1 and 2 were added to include the signature lines for the Council Chairman and the Mayor, marking the bill's final enrollment.

Floor votes · Council Mar 3, 2026

How they voted

13–0
Passed
Total votes 13
Mar 3, 2026
D Democratic11
11 Yea
100% Yea
I Independent2
2 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Mar 3, 2026
Council · Passed
Council Vote: pass (13-0)
council
Dec 18, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Committee Mark-up of B26-0135 by the Transportation and the Environment Committee
legislature
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation and the Environment
legislature
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced
B26-0135 Introduced by Councilmember Bonds at Office of the Secretary
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Anita Bonds
Anita Bonds
DDemocratic
DC
At-Large