Z-369                 _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 261

                        _______________________________________________

                                                                            C 178 L 87

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Walk, Schmidt, Fisch, P. King and J. Williams; by request of Department of Licensing

Read first time 1/22/87 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to state centennial license plates; reenacting and amending RCW 46.16.650 and 46.16.270; and declaring an emergency.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 280, Laws of 1986 and RCW 46.16.650 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

          In order to help publicize and commemorate the state's 1989 anniversary celebration of its admission to the Union, a new centennial design shall be developed by the department for vehicle license plates that uses reflectorized materials necessary to provide adequate visibility and legibility at night.

          The centennial plates shall be developed in cooperation with the design selection committee appointed by the director.  The committee shall include representation from the Washington centennial commission.

          Registration numbers and letters for the centennial plate shall be assigned by the department in accordance with established procedures.  Distribution of the centennial license plates shall commence January 1, 1987, to all new vehicle registrations and license plate replacements.  In addition, the centennial plate shall be available for purchase by all other vehicle owners at the owner's option.

          Revenues generated from the centennial plate shall go in part to support local and state centennial activities as provided in RCW 27.60.080.  In addition to the basic fees for new vehicle registrations provided in RCW 46.16.060, 46.16.065, 46.16.505, and 46.16.630 and the license fees for new vehicle registrations provided in RCW 46.16.070 and 46.16.085, persons purchasing centennial plates shall pay an additional fee of one dollar per plate to be distributed as follows:  From January 1, 1987, through June 30, 1989, one-half of the fee shall be deposited in the centennial commission account ((of the general fund)), and the remainder shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.  Commencing July 1, 1989, the total one dollar per plate fee shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

        Sec. 2.  Section 46.16.270, chapter 12, Laws of 1961 as last amended by section 3, chapter 30, Laws of 1986 and by section 4, chapter 280, Laws of 1986 and RCW 46.16.270 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

Replacement plates issued after January 1, 1987, will be centennial plates as described in RCW 46.16.650.  Revenues generated from the centennial plate shall go in part to support local and state centennial activities as provided in RCW 27.60.080.  One dollar per plate of the replacement plate fee(s) will be distributed as follows:  From January 1, 1987, through June 30, 1989, one-half of the fee shall be deposited in the centennial commission account, and the remainder shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.  Commencing July 1, 1989, the total replacement plate fee including the one dollar per plate centennial plate fee shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

          Upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of one or both of the vehicle license number plates issued for any vehicle where more than one plate was originally issued or where one or both have become so illegible or in such a condition as to be difficult to distinguish, or upon the owner's option, the owner of the vehicle shall make application for new vehicle license number plates upon a form furnished by the director, upon which form it shall be required that the owner, if appropriate and in addition to other requirements, make a complete statement as to the cause of the loss, defacement, or destruction of the original plate or plates, which statement shall be subscribed and sworn to before a notary public or other person authorized to certify to statements upon vehicle license applications.  Such application shall be filed with the director or the director's authorized agent, accompanied by the certificate of license registration of the vehicle and a fee in the amount of three dollars per plate, whereupon the director, or the director's authorized agent, shall issue new vehicle license number plates to the applicant.  It shall be accompanied by a fee of two dollars for a new motorcycle license number plate.  In the event the director has issued license period tabs or a windshield emblem instead of vehicle license number plates, and upon the loss, defacement, or destruction of the tabs or windshield emblem, application shall be made on a form provided by the director and in the same manner as above described, and shall be accompanied by a fee of one dollar for each pair of tabs or for each windshield emblem, whereupon the director shall issue to the applicant a duplicate pair of tabs or a windshield emblem to replace those lost, defaced, or destroyed.  For those vehicles owned, rented, or leased by the state of Washington or by any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington or United States government, or owned or leased by the governing body of an Indian tribe as defined in RCW 46.16.020, a fee shall be charged for replacement of a vehicle license number plate only to the extent required by the provisions of RCW 46.16.020, 46.16.061, 46.16.237, and 46.01.140.  For those vehicles owned, rented, or leased by foreign countries or international bodies to which the United States government is a signatory by treaty, the payment of any fee for the replacement of a vehicle license number plate shall not be required.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

                                                                                                                           Passed the House March 6, 1987.

                                                                                                                                         Speaker of the House.

                                                                                                                           Passed the Senate April 13, 1987.

                                                                                                                                       President of the Senate.