2065 AMH ERIC H2438.1

HB 2065 - H AMD 196

By Representative Ericksen

FAILED 03/17/2003

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1. RCW 46.16.230 and 1992 c 7 s 41 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) 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 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.

(2) All vehicle license number plates ((may be obtained by the director from the metal working plant of a state correctional facility or from any source in accordance with existing state of Washington purchasing procedures.)) issued by the department after the effective date of this act must be flat, digitally printed license plates, and the department shall contract with a private vendor located in Washington state, or with the department of corrections, for the manufacturing of the plates. The digitally printed license plates may include bar codes to facilitate distribution and inventory control. This system must be in place and operational by January 1, 2004, and must be used to produce all license plates issued by the department by no later than June 1, 2004.

(3) State agencies responding to the department's request for proposal to contract out the manufacturing of the digitally printed license plates shall make allowances in their proposals to reflect all taxes and current labor rates applicable to private sector businesses.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the director may, in his discretion and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, adopt a type of vehicle license number plates whereby the same shall be used as long as legible on the vehicle for which issued, 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. 2. RCW 46.16.233 and 2000 c 37 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) 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, the appearance of the background of all vehicle license plates may vary in color and design but must be ((issued on a standard background)) legible and clearly identifiable as a Washington state license plate, as designated by the department.

(2) 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.

(3) In providing for the periodic replacement of license plates, the department shall offer the vehicle's owner the option of retaining the current license plate number. The department shall charge a retention fee of twenty dollars if this option is exercised. Revenue generated from the retention fee must be deposited into the multimodal transportation account.

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

A one dollar technology surcharge is imposed on the retention fee provided for in RCW 46.16.233(3), and is also assessed on all special license plates issued under this chapter. The surcharge remains in effect until December 31, 2005, at which time this section expires. Revenues generated by the technology surcharge must be deposited into the temporary technology enhancement account created under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

The temporary technology enhancement account is created in the state treasury. All receipts collected under section 3 of this act must be deposited into this account. Expenditures from this account must support license plate technology and systems integration upgrades. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. This section expires December 31, 2005. Any funds remaining in this account after the expiration date must be deposited into the multimodal transportation account.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

The department shall offer license plate design services to organizations that are sponsoring a new special license plate series or are seeking to redesign the appearance of an existing special license plate series that they sponsored. In providing this service, the department must work with the requesting organization in determining the specific qualities of the new plate design and must provide full design services to the organization. The department shall collect from the requesting organization a fee of one thousand five hundred dollars for providing license plate design services. This fee includes one original license plate design and up to five additional renditions of the original design. If the organization requests the department to provide further renditions in addition to the five renditions provided under the original fee, the department shall collect an additional fee of five hundred dollars per rendition. All revenue collected under this section must be deposited into the temporary technology enhancement account created under section 4 of this act until such time as the financing necessary to implement a digital license plate system has been paid in full, or until such time as the temporary technology enhancement account expires. After the financing has been paid in full, or upon the expiration of the temporary technology enhancement account, the revenue collected under this section must be deposited into the public safety and education account for the purpose of providing funding for the crime victims compensation program established under chapter 7.68 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act takes effect January 1, 2004."

Correct the title.

EFFECT: Requires all vehicle license plates issued by the Department of Licensing (DOL) to be flat, digitally printed license plates.

The DOL must contract out the manufacturing of the flat license plates with either a vendor located in Washington state or with the Department of Corrections.

State agencies interested in bidding on the contract to manufacture the flat license plates must make allowances in their proposal to reflect all taxes and current labor rates applicable to private sector businesses.

The standard background requirement currently in law is removed and is replaced with language allowing the appearance of license plate backgrounds to vary in color and design, as long as the license plate is legible and clearly identifiable as a Washington state license plate.

The DOL is required to offer vehicle owners the option of retaining their current license plate number and must charge a fee of $20 to do so. The revenue generated by this fee is to be deposited into the multimodal transportation account.

A $1 technology surcharge is assessed on the license plate number retention fee and is assessed on all special license plates. This surcharge will remain in effect until December 31, 2005, at which time the surcharge will expire. Revenue generated by the surcharge must be deposited into the newly created "Temporary Technology Enhancement Account" (TTEA).

The TTEA is an appropriated account and expenditures from the account must support license plate technology and systems integration upgrades. The TTEA account expires on December 31, 2005. Any funds remaining in the account after the expiration date must be deposited into the multimodal transportation account.

The DOL must offer license plate design services to organizations sponsoring special license plates. The DOL must charge $1,500 for providing this service, which must include one original plate design and up to five additional renditions of the original design. Additional renditions may be provided for an additional fee of $500 per rendition. The revenue generated by providing this service must be deposited into the TTEA account until the financing necessary to implement a digital license plate system has been paid in full, or until the account expires. After either of these occur, the revenue collected for this service must be deposited into the public safety and education account for the purpose of providing funding for the crime victims compensation program.

This act would take effect January 1, 2004.

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