FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5423

                                  C 237 L 87

BYSenate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Peterson, Metcalf, Patterson, Johnson, Garrett and Bender)

Reinstating special consular license plates.

Senate Committee on Transportation

House Committe on Transportation

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Until last year the Department of Licensing (DOL) issued special license plates to honorary consuls.  (An honorary consul is a citizen or resident of the United States who has been appointed by a foreign government to represent the country, and has been accepted as an official representative by the U.S. Department of State.)  The annual vehicle registration fee and excise tax were imposed, as well as a one-time $25 special plate fee.  The plates were distinguished by the letters "DC" followed by four numerals.  In some areas free parking is afforded to holders of honorary consul plates.

The authorization to issue these plates was repealed in 1986 based upon a misunderstanding of the U.S. State Department's decision to have all consul plates issued on the national level and to cease to recognize honorary consuls.  Prior to this decision, DOL issued both consul and honorary consul plates.  Because honorary consuls were no longer recognized on the national level, it was assumed that the State Department was recommending that the states no longer issue honorary plates.  This issue has since been clarified and the issuance of honorary consul plates is left to the discretion of the individual states.

An honorary consul of a foreign government serves in the same capacity for that government as does an official career consul, but without full compensation.  According to the state Office of Trade and Economic Development, the consuls are important to the trade and commerce of the state.  The Department is requesting reinstatement of the special plate because Washington State does not have many ways in which to show the consuls the importance of their international relationships.

Of the thirty consular offices in Seattle, twenty-three are honorary consuls.  There are only a few service career consuls living in Seattle because an official consulate is an expense to the originating country, and Seattle is not viewed as a key city to some foreign countries.

SUMMARY:

Every honorary consul or official representative of a foreign country, duly licensed and holding an exequatur issued by the U.S. Department of State, is entitled to apply to the Director of the Department of Licensing (DOL) for a special license plate.

The applicant shall pay the regular license fee and excise tax.  The special $25 fee for the consular plate is deleted because the time and costs required to complete the programming for this one-time fee is excessive.  The plates may be transferred to another vehicle; however, the Director of DOL must be immediately notified of the transfer.  Plates that are removed but not transferred to another vehicle are to be immediately forwarded to the Director to be destroyed.  When an honorary consul or official representative is relieved from his or her duties, the plates shall be returned to the Department and regular plates are issued.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    45     1

      House 87   8 (House amended)

      Senate    48     1 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987