Brief Description: Establishing the Washington's Wildlife license plate collection.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Swecker, Jacobsen, Oke, Doumit, Fraser, Rockefeller, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen).

Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
Senate Committee on Transportation
House Committee on Transportation

Background: The Special License Plate Review Board was created in the 2003 session and charged with reviewing special license plate applications from groups requesting the creation of a special license plate series. Upon approval, the board forwards the application to the legislature.

On December 10, 2004, the board formally approved the Department of Fish and Wildlife's "Washington's Wildlife" license plate collection application.

Summary: The Department of Licensing must issue a special license plate collection for vehicles displaying a symbol or artwork recognizing Washington's wildlife to include bear, deer, and elk.

An applicant for a "Washington's Wildlife" license plate must pay an initial fee of $40 and a renewal fee each year thereafter of $30. The initial revenue generated from the plate sales must be deposited into the motor vehicle account until the state has been reimbursed for the implementation costs. Upon reimbursement, the revenue must be deposited into the state wildlife account and may only be used for the Department of Fish and Wildlife's game species management activities.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      81   13

Effective: July 24, 2005