HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6663

BYSenate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Patterson, DeJarnatt, Thorsness and Rasmussen; by request of Department of Licensing)

Authorizing special license plates and emblems.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (22)

      Signed by Representatives R. Meyers, Vice Chair, Western Washington; Wood, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bennett, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, G. Fisher, Forner, Gallagher, Hankins, Heavey, Jones, Kremen, Nelson, Prentice, Prince, Smith, D. Sommers, Todd, Walker and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (3)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair, Eastern Washington and Schmidt, Ranking Republican Member.

House Staff:Louise Bray Sandison (786-7322)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Licensing administers many special license plate programs (e.g., disabled veteran, prisoners of war, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Congressional Medal of Honor, etc.) that are authorized by statute.

Due to the number of requests to the Legislature for special plates each year, the Department of Licensing was directed to study and make recommendations for establishing a special license plate program.  A bill implementing the department's recommendations (SB 5420) was considered but not enacted by the Legislature in 1989.

The 1989 Legislature enacted a bill authorizing the Department of Licensing to issue "remembrance emblems" and campaign emblems to honorably discharged veterans for display on the front license plate in an area approved by the department.  The governor vetoed the bill.

SUMMARY:

Special vehicle license plates, special vehicle license plate emblems, and veterans emblem programs are established within the Department of Licensing.

Special License Plate Program.  Special license plates may denote the age or type of vehicle or may denote special activities or interests, or contribution or sacrifice, for the United States, the state of Washington or its citizens.

The department has the sole discretion to create, design, and issue special license plates and whether any activity, status, contribution, or sacrifice merits the issuance of a series of special license plates.  The department must consider the significance of the activity, status, contribution, or sacrifice as well as the potential number of persons who may be eligible and the cost and efficiency of producing limited numbers of plates.  Any special plates issued must conform with all requirements for plates for the type of vehicle for which it is issued.

The following special plate statutes are repealed:  horseless carriage and restored vehicles, amateur radio operators, Medal of Honor, and Pearl Harbor survivors.  The department is required to continue issuing these categories of special plates under the same conditions as provided for in the repealed statutes.  Surviving spouses of persons who would have qualified, or did qualify, for Pearl Harbor survivor special vehicle license plates shall be issued Pearl Harbor survivor plates; however, they must relinquish the plates within 15 days of remarriage.  In addition, the statutes relating to centennial plates are repealed.

When a person who has been issued a special vehicle license plate releases ownership of the vehicle, he or she must pay a $5 transfer fee in addition to any other applicable fees to transfer the plate to a new vehicle.

The department may establish fees not to exceed $35 for the issuance of each type of special vehicle license plate in an amount calculated to offset the cost of producing the plates and administering the program.  The fees are deposited in the motor vehicle fund.  The additional fee does not apply to Medal of Honor and Pearl Harbor survivor plates.

Veterans Remembrance Emblem Program.  A person who has been honorably discharged from military service may be issued a remembrance emblem depicting the American flag and a tribute or message.  Veterans who have been awarded a campaign ribbon may be issued an emblem depicting the following campaigns:  World War I (1917-1918); the Pacific and European Theaters during World War II (1942-1945); Korea (1950-1954); Vietnam (1965-1973); and Armed Forces Expeditionary (after 1958).  The veteran must furnish proof of her or her honorable discharge and pay all regular license fees.  The emblem shall be displayed on the vehicle license plate in a manner designated by the Department of Licensing.

The department may establish fees not to exceed $25 per emblem for this program.  The fees are to offset the costs of producing the emblems, administrative costs plus an amount to be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The veterans emblem account is created in the custody of the state treasurer.  All monies received from the sale of emblems to veterans shall be placed in the account.  Expenditures from the account shall be used by the Department of Licensing exclusively for payment of the costs associated with the program.  Any remaining balance in the account is to be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs exclusively for projects that pay tribute to veterans.  The monies may be used to preserve and operate existing memorials, as well as for planning, acquiring land, and constructing future memorials.

Special Vehicle License Plate Emblems.  Institutions of higher education, including community colleges, may petition the Department of Licensing for a special vehicle license plate emblem.  The department has sole discretion to determine whether an institution qualifies for the program. As a condition for receiving an emblem, additional fees may be collected from any person by the institution to be used for the institution's purposes.

The department may establish fees for the issuance of each type of special vehicle license plate emblem in an amount calculated to offset the costs of producing the emblems and administration of the program.

The special vehicle license plate emblem account is created in the state treasury.  Fees collected for special vehicle license plate emblems are deposited into this account and the monies are to be used to offset the costs of the program.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Bob Anderson, Department of Licensing; and Henry Ford, Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Delegating issuance of special plates, special vehicle license plate emblems and veterans' remembrance emblems to the Department of Licensing will eliminate special vehicle license plate bill requests.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 91; Nays 6 - 3/2

Voting Nay: Representatives Belcher, Cole, R. Fisher, McLean, Schmidt and Wang