Title: An act relating to the minimum height requirement for the attachment of vehicle license plates.

Brief Description: Removing the minimum height requirement for the attachment of vehicle license plates.

Sponsors: By Senators Sheldon, Esser, Benson and Haugen; by request of Washington State Patrol.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/20/06, 2/22/06 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/28/06, 96-1.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Clibborn, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Flannigan, Hankins, Holmquist, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Schindler, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Staff: Teresa Berntsen (786-7301).

Background:

Current law requires vehicle license plates to be attached conspicuously to the front and rear of a vehicle. License plates must be mounted not less than one foot and not more than four feet from the ground. The Washington State Patrol may grant an exception if compliance with these requirements is impossible due to the body construction of a vehicle.

Some vehicles are manufactured with license plate mounting surfaces less than one foot from the ground. The State Patrol has received requests to waive front license plate attachment requirements for such vehicles.

Summary of Bill:

The requirement that license plates must be mounted not less than one foot from the ground is deleted.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Smaller cars have plate mounts that are lower than one foot from the ground. This bill will make state statute consistent with what is allowed by the federal government. This bill will relieve the State Patrol from granting minimum plate height exemptions on a case-by-case basis.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Senator Sheldon, prime sponsor; and Jeff Devere, Washington State Patrol.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.