AN ACT Relating to motor vehicle license plates; amending RCW 46.16.230, 46.16.237, and 46.16.270; adding a new section to chapter 27.60 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 46.16 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 46.16.275; making an appropriation; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to require a total reissuance of vehicle license plates in the state of Washington and for this reissuance to be scheduled in such a way that it occur concurrently with the state's 1989 centennial celebration of its admission to the Union such that newly issued plates will carry a special centennial design in order to help publicize the centennial celebration and to provide revenues for the support of local and state centennial activities. It is further the intent of the legislature to establish a ten-year vehicle license plate replacement program in order to assure that reflectorized materials on license plates will be adequate to provide visibility and legibility at night.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The director shall order a general reissuance of vehicle license plate using a special centennial commemorative design. This general reissuance shall be completed no later than March 31, 1989. The director may, thereafter, order a general reissuance of vehicle license number plates at any time he or she determines it to be of benefit to the state, but not more frequently than every ten years. Any person applying for an original or renewal vehicle license after the effective date of the most recent order of the director for a general reissuance of vehicle license number plates shall obtain new vehicle license number plates from the department before obtaining a new certificate of title or new registration for the vehicle unless the vehicle license number plates assigned to the vehicle at the time of application are plates that have been issued by the department after the effective date of that most recent order of the department.

(2) The director shall collect a fee for the new reissue plates of ten dollars per vehicle when two plates are required, a fee of .......... dollars per vehicle when only one plate is required, and a fee of .......... dollars per vehicle in the case of a motorcycle number plate. These fees are in addition to all other vehicle license or registration fees authorized by chapter 46.16 RCW. Proceeds from these fees shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

(3) This section does not apply to a vehicle owned and operated primarily as a collector's item pursuant to RCW 46.16.310, 46.16.311, or 46.16.315 or to personalized licensed plates as defined in RCW 46.16.560.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

The 1989 centennial commemorative license plates shall be designed by the department of licensing in cooperation with a design selection committee appointed by the director of the department. The committee shall include representation from the Washington centennial commission.

Registration numbers and letters for the centennial issue shall be assigned by the department of licensing in accordance with the department's established procedures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 27.60 RCW to read as follows:

In support of centennial activities of the centennial commission, thirty-five cents of every ten dollars charged for the 1989 commemorative license plate general reissue, as provided for in section 2 of this act, shall be made available to the centennial commission in the 1987-1989 biennium. One-half of the moneys so provided shall be distributed to counties in the state for use by their respective county centennial commissions or committees. Distribution of such moneys shall be made by the 1989 Washington centennial commission according to rules adopted by the commission. The rules shall provide for distribution to the respective counties on the basis of the number of registered vehicles in those counties, with minimum amounts established to be distributed to those counties with small populations, regardless of the number of registered vehicles.

The remaining one-half of the moneys shall be used for funding projects deemed to be of state-wide significance by the centennial commission in accordance with rules adopted by the commission.

Sec. 5. Section 46.16.230, chapter 12, Laws of 1961 as amended by section 19, chapter 25, Laws of 1975 and RCW 46.16.230 are each amended to read as follows:

The director shall furnish to all persons making satisfactory application for vehicle license as provided by law, two identical vehicle license number plates each containing the vehicle license number to be displayed on such vehicle as by law required((~~: PROVIDED, That~~)). If the vehicle to be licensed is a trailer, semitrailer, or motorcycle only one vehicle license number plate shall be issued for each thereof. The number and plate shall be of such size and color and shall contain such symbols indicative of the registration period for which ((~~the same~~)) it is issued and of the state of Washington, as shall be determined and prescribed by the director. Any vehicle license number plate or plates issued to a dealer shall contain thereon a sufficient and satisfactory indication that such plates have been issued to a dealer in vehicles. All vehicle license number plates may be obtained by the director from the metal working plant of the state penitentiary at Walla Walla or from any source in accordance with existing state of Washington purchasing procedures.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the director may, in his or her discretion and under such rules and regulations as ((he)) the director may prescribe, adopt a type of vehicle license number plates ((~~whereby the same~~)) that shall be used as long as legible on the vehicle for which issued, subject to action by the director under section 2 of this act, with provision for tabs or emblems to be attached thereto or elsewhere on the vehicle to signify renewals, in which event the term "vehicle license number plate" as used in any enactment shall be deemed to include in addition to such plate the tab or emblem signifying renewal except when such plate contains the designation of the current year without reference to any tab or emblem. Renewals shall be effected by the issuance and display of such tab or emblem.

Sec. 6. Section 60, chapter 145, Laws of 1967 ex. sess. and RCW 46.16.237 are each amended to read as follows:

All vehicle license number plates issued after January 1, 1968, or such earlier date as the director may prescribe with respect to plates issued in any county, shall be treated with reflectorized materials designed to increase the visibility and legibility of such plates at night. ((In addition to all other fees prescribed by law, there shall be paid and collected for each vehicle license number plate treated with such materials, the sum of fifty cents and for each set of two plates, the sum of one dollar: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, One plate is available only to those vehicles that by law require only one plate. Such fees shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.))

Sec. 7. Section 46.16.270, chapter 12, Laws of 1961 as last amended by section 7, chapter 169, Laws of 1975 1st ex. sess. and RCW 46.16.270 are each amended to read as follows:

Upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of one or both of the vehicle license number plates issued for any vehicle where more than one plate was originally issued or where one or both have become so illegible or in such a condition as to be difficult to distinguish, the owner of the vehicle shall make application for new vehicle license number plates upon a form furnished by the director, upon which form it shall be required that the owner, in addition to other requirements, make a complete statement as to the cause of the loss, defacement, or destruction of the original plate or plates, which statement shall be subscribed and sworn to before a notary public or other person authorized to certify to statements upon vehicle license applications. Such application shall be filed with the director or ((~~his~~)) the director's authorized agent, accompanied by the certificate of license registration of the vehicle and a fee in the amount of ((~~four~~)) five dollars, whereupon the director, or ((~~his~~)) the director's authorized agent, shall issue new vehicle license number plates to the applicant. It shall be accompanied by a fee of two dollars and fifty cents for a new vehicle license number plate where only one was originally issued and one dollar and fifty cents for a new motorcycle license number plate. In the event the director has issued license period tabs or a windshield emblem instead of vehicle license number plates, and upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of ((~~said~~)) the tabs or windshield emblem, application shall be made on a form provided by the director and in the same manner as above described, and shall be accompanied by a fee of one dollar for each pair of tabs or for each windshield emblem, whereupon the director shall issue to the applicant a duplicate pair of tabs or a windshield emblem to replace those lost, defaced, or destroyed((~~: PROVIDED, That~~)). For those vehicles owned, rented, or leased by the state of Washington or by any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington or United States government, a fee shall be charged for replacement of a vehicle license number plate only to the extent required by the provisions of RCW 46.16.020, 46.16.061, ((~~46.16.237,~~)) and 46.01.140((~~: PROVIDED FURTHER, That~~)). For those vehicles owned, rented, or leased by foreign countries or international bodies to which the United States government is a signatory by treaty, the payment of any fee for the replacement of a vehicle license number plate shall not be required.

All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a separate account in the motor vehicle fund, designated the "license plate issue account," to be used by the department to help offset the costs of the issuance of vehicle license number plates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 3 and 4 of this act shall expire on December 31, 1993.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the motor vehicle fund to the department of licensing for use in implementing section 2 of this act. This appropriation shall be repaid to the motor vehicle fund from the proceeds of fees collected under section 2(2) of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Section 1, chapter 72, Laws of 1983, section 1, chapter 62, Laws of 1984 and RCW 46.16.275 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.