H-1909.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1430
State of Washington
64th Legislature
2015 Regular Session
By House Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Walkinshaw, Holy, Clibborn, and McBride)
READ FIRST TIME 02/27/15.
AN ACT Relating to Washington state tree special license plates; amending RCW 46.68.420; reenacting and amending RCW 46.18.200, 46.17.220, and 46.18.060; adding a new section to chapter 46.04 RCW; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.  RCW 46.18.200 and 2014 c 77 s 1 and 2014 c 6 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) Special license plate series reviewed and approved by the department:
(a) May be issued in lieu of standard issue or personalized license plates for vehicles required to display one and two license plates unless otherwise specified;
(b) Must be issued under terms and conditions established by the department;
(c) Must not be issued for vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW; and
(d) Must display a symbol or artwork approved by the department.
(2) The department approves and shall issue the following special license plates:
 
 
 
LICENSE PLATE
DESCRIPTION, SYMBOL, OR ARTWORK
 
 
4-H
Displays the "4-H" logo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Armed forces collection
Recognizes the contribution of veterans, active duty military personnel, reservists, and members of the national guard, and includes six separate designs, each containing a symbol representing a different branch of the armed forces to include army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, and national guard.
 
 
 
Breast cancer awareness
Displays a pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness.
 
 
 
 
Endangered wildlife
Displays a symbol or artwork symbolizing endangered wildlife in Washington state.
 
 
 
Gonzaga University alumni association
Recognizes the Gonzaga University alumni association.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helping kids speak
Recognizes an organization that supports programs that provide no-cost speech pathology programs to children.
 
 
 
Keep kids safe
Recognizes efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.
 
 
 
 
Law enforcement memorial
Honors law enforcement officers in Washington killed in the line of duty.
 
 
Music matters
Displays the "Music Matters" logo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Professional firefighters and paramedics
Recognizes professional firefighters and paramedics who are members of the Washington state council of firefighters.
 
 
Seattle Seahawks
Displays the "Seattle Seahawks" logo.
 
 
Seattle Sounders FC
Displays the "Seattle Sounders FC" logo.
 
 
Seattle University
Recognizes Seattle University.
 
 
 
 
 
Share the road
Recognizes an organization that promotes bicycle safety and awareness education.
 
 
 
Ski & ride Washington
Recognizes the Washington snowsports industry.
 
 
 
State flower
Recognizes the Washington state flower.
 
 
State tree
Recognizes the Washington state tree.
 
 
Volunteer firefighters
Recognizes volunteer firefighters.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington lighthouses
Recognizes an organization that supports selected Washington state lighthouses and provides environmental education programs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington state parks
Recognizes Washington state parks as premier destinations of uncommon quality that preserve significant natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington's national park fund
Builds awareness of Washington's national parks and supports priority park programs and projects in Washington's national parks, such as enhancing visitor experience, promoting volunteerism, engaging communities, and providing educational opportunities related to Washington's national parks.
 
 
Washington's wildlife collection
Recognizes Washington's wildlife.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We love our pets
Recognizes an organization that assists local member agencies of the federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery on Washington state pets to reduce pet overpopulation.
 
 
 
Wild on Washington
Symbolizes wildlife viewing in Washington state.
(3) Applicants for initial and renewal professional firefighters and paramedics special license plates must show proof of eligibility by providing a certificate of current membership from the Washington state council of firefighters.
(4) Applicants for initial volunteer firefighters special license plates must (a) have been a volunteer firefighter for at least ten years or be a volunteer firefighter for one or more years and (b) have documentation of service from the district of the appropriate fire service. If the volunteer firefighter leaves firefighting service before ten years of service have been completed, the volunteer firefighter shall surrender the license plates to the department on the registration renewal date. If the volunteer firefighter stays in service for at least ten years and then leaves, the license plate may be retained by the former volunteer firefighter and as long as the license plate is retained for use the person will continue to pay the future registration renewals. A qualifying volunteer firefighter may have no more than one set of license plates per vehicle, and a maximum of two sets per applicant, for their personal vehicles. If the volunteer firefighter is convicted of a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or a felony, the license plates must be surrendered upon conviction.
Sec. 2.  RCW 46.17.220 and 2014 c 77 s 2 and 2014 c 6 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) In addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application for a vehicle registration in chapter 46.16A RCW, the holder of a special license plate shall pay the appropriate special license plate fee as listed in this section.
 
 
 
PLATE TYPE
INITIAL FEE
RENEWAL FEE
DISTRIBUTED UNDER
 
 
 
(a) 4-H
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
(b) Amateur radio license
$ 5.00
N/A
 
 
 
(c) Armed forces
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(d) Baseball stadium
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
Subsection (2) of this section
 
 
 
(e) Breast cancer awareness
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(f) Collector vehicle
$ 35.00
N/A
 
 
 
(g) Collegiate
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(h) Endangered wildlife
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
 
(i) Gonzaga University alumni association
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(j) Helping kids speak
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(k) Horseless carriage
$ 35.00
N/A
 
 
 
(l) Keep kids safe
$ 45.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(m) Law enforcement memorial
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(n) Military affiliate radio system
$ 5.00
N/A
 
 
 
(o) Music matters
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
 
(p) Professional firefighters and paramedics
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(q) Ride share
$ 25.00
N/A
 
 
 
(r) Seattle Seahawks
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(s) Seattle Sounders FC
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(t) Seattle University
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(u) Share the road
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(v) Ski & ride Washington
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(w) Square dancer
$ 40.00
N/A
 
 
 
(x) State flower
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(y) State tree
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(z) Volunteer firefighters
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(((z))) (aa) Washington lighthouses
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(((aa))) (bb) Washington state parks
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
 
(((bb))) (cc) Washington's national parks
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
 
(((cc))) (dd) Washington's wildlife collection
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(((dd))) (ee) We love our pets
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
 
 
 
(((ee))) (ff) Wild on Washington
$ 40.00
$ 30.00
(2) After deducting administration and collection expenses for the sale of baseball stadium license plates, the remaining proceeds must be distributed to a county for the purpose of paying the principal and interest payments on bonds issued by the county to construct a baseball stadium, as defined in RCW 82.14.0485, including reasonably necessary preconstruction costs, while the taxes are being collected under RCW 82.14.360. After this date, the state treasurer shall credit the funds to the state general fund.
Sec. 3.  RCW 46.68.420 and 2014 c 6 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The department shall:
(a) Collect special license plate fees established under RCW 46.17.220;
(b) Deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars for initial issue and two dollars for renewal issue for administration and collection expenses incurred by it; and
(c) Remit the remaining proceeds to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report.
(2) The state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the special license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the state treasurer shall credit the remaining special license plate fee amounts for each special license plate to the following appropriate account as created in this section in the custody of the state treasurer:
 
 
ACCOUNT
CONDITIONS FOR USE OF FUNDS
 
 
4-H programs
Support Washington 4-H programs
 
 
 
 
 
Gonzaga University alumni association
Scholarship funds to needy and qualified students attending or planning to attend Gonzaga University
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helping kids speak
Provide free diagnostic and therapeutic services to families of children who suffer from a delay in language or speech development
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Law enforcement memorial
Provide support and assistance to survivors and families of law enforcement officers in Washington killed in the line of duty and to organize, finance, fund, construct, utilize, and maintain a memorial on the state capitol grounds to honor those fallen officers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lighthouse environmental programs
Support selected Washington state lighthouses that are accessible to the public and staffed by volunteers; provide environmental education programs; provide grants for other Washington lighthouses to assist in funding infrastructure preservation and restoration; encourage and support interpretive programs by lighthouse docents
 
 
 
 
Music matters awareness
Promote music education in schools throughout Washington
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seattle Seahawks
Provide funds to InvestED to encourage secondary students who have economic needs to stay in school, return to school, or get involved within their learning community
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seattle Sounders FC
Provide funds to Washington state mentors and the association of Washington generals created in RCW 43.15.030 in the following manner: (a) Seventy percent and the remaining proceeds, if any, to Washington state mentors, to increase the number of mentors in the state by offering mentoring grants throughout Washington state that foster positive youth development and academic success, with up to twenty percent of these proceeds authorized for program administration costs; and (b) up to thirty percent, not to exceed forty-thousand dollars annually as adjusted for inflation by the office of financial management, to the association of Washington generals, to develop Washington state educational, veterans, international relations, and civics projects and to recognize the outstanding public service of individuals or groups in the state of Washington
 
 
 
 
Seattle University
Fund scholarships for students attending or planning to attend Seattle University
 
 
 
 
 
 
Share the road
Promote bicycle safety and awareness education in communities throughout Washington
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ski & ride Washington
Promote winter snowsports, such as skiing and snowboarding, and related programs, such as ski and ride safety programs, underprivileged youth ski and ride programs, and active, healthy lifestyle programs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
State flower
Support Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens and provide for grants to other qualified nonprofit organizations' efforts to preserve rhododendrons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
State tree
Provide funds to support the Washington park arboretum and John A. Finch arboretum in the following manner: (a) Eighty-five percent of the proceeds to the arboretum foundation to support the University of Washington botanic gardens' environmental education programs for children at the Washington park arboretum and to the University of Washington botanic gardens and the city of Seattle for maintenance of the Washington park arboretum; and (b) fifteen percent of the proceeds to the city of Spokane for maintenance of the John A. Finch arboretum
 
 
 
 
 
 
Volunteer firefighters
Receive and disseminate funds for purposes on behalf of volunteer firefighters, their families, and others deemed in need
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington state council of firefighters benevolent fund
Receive and disseminate funds for charitable purposes on behalf of members of the Washington state council of firefighters, their families, and others deemed in need
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington's national park fund
Build awareness of Washington's national parks and support priority park programs and projects in Washington's national parks, such as enhancing visitor experience, promoting volunteerism, engaging communities, and providing educational opportunities related to Washington's national parks
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We love our pets
Support and enable the Washington federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery of Washington state pets in order to reduce pet population
(3) Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the accounts described in subsection (2) of this section. The accounts are subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
(4) Funds in the special license plate accounts described in subsection (2) of this section must be disbursed subject to the conditions described in subsection (2) of this section and under contract between the department and qualified nonprofit organizations that provide the services described in subsection (2) of this section.
(5) For the purposes of this section, a "qualified nonprofit organization" means a not-for-profit corporation operating in Washington that has received a determination of tax exempt status under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3). The qualified nonprofit organization must meet all the requirements under RCW 46.18.100(1).
Sec. 4.  RCW 46.18.060 and 2014 c 77 s 5 and 2014 c 6 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) The department must review and either approve or reject special license plate applications submitted by sponsoring organizations.
(2) Duties of the department include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Review and approve the annual financial reports submitted by sponsoring organizations with active special license plate series and present those annual financial reports to the joint transportation committee;
(b) Report annually to the joint transportation committee on the special license plate applications that were considered by the department;
(c) Issue approval and rejection notification letters to sponsoring organizations, the executive committee of the joint transportation committee, and the legislative sponsors identified in each application. The letters must be issued within seven days of making a determination on the status of an application; and
(d) Review annually the number of plates sold for each special license plate series created after January 1, 2003. The department may submit a recommendation to discontinue a special plate series to the executive committee of the joint transportation committee.
(3) In order to assess the effects and impact of the proliferation of special license plates, the legislature declares a temporary moratorium on the issuance of any additional plates until July 1, 2015. During this period of time, the department is prohibited from accepting, reviewing, processing, or approving any applications. Additionally, a special license plate may not be enacted by the legislature during the moratorium, unless the proposed license plate has been approved by the former special license plate review board before February 15, 2005.
(4) The limitations under subsection (3) of this section do not apply to the following special license plates:
(a) 4-H license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(b) Breast cancer awareness license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(c) Gold star license plates created under RCW 46.18.245;
(d) Music Matters license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(e) Seattle Seahawks license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(f) Seattle Sounders FC license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(g) Seattle University license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(h) State flower license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(i) State tree license plates created under RCW 46.18.200;
(j) Volunteer firefighter license plates created under RCW 46.18.200.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:
"State tree license plates" means special license plates issued under RCW 46.18.200 that display the Washington state tree.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  This act takes effect January 1, 2017.
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