S-3639.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6667

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Haugen, Swecker, Gardner, Morton, Sellar, Sheahan, Benton and Winsley

Read first time 01/21/2000.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Exempting certain commercial vehicles from replacing license plates.

    AN ACT Relating to the replacement of license plates for certain commercial vehicles; and amending RCW 46.16.233.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.16.233 and 1997 c 291 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    Except for those license plates issued under RCW 46.16.305(1) before January 1, 1987, under RCW 46.16.305(3), and to commercial vehicles with a gross weight in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds, effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on January 1, 2001, all vehicle license plates must be issued on a standard background, as designated by the department.  Additionally, to ensure maximum legibility and reflectivity, the department shall periodically provide for the replacement of license plates, except for commercial vehicles with a gross weight in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds.  Frequency of replacement shall be established in accordance with empirical studies documenting the longevity of the reflective materials used to make license plates.

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