BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to salmon species enrichment license plates; and adding new sections to chapter 46.16 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. In order to help fund the restoration of salmon and steelhead species listed under the federal endangered species act, a voluntary program is created that will allow the purchase of special motor vehicle license plates. The additional funds from the plates shall be used for restoration projects developed under chapter 75.46 RCW or RCW 75.56.050.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The salmon species enrichment license fees account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from salmon species enrichment license fees must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the preservation, protection, perpetuation, and enhancement of salmon species.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department and the department of fish and wildlife shall jointly develop the design of the salmon species enrichment license plate. The department may adopt rules necessary to implement sections 1 through 12 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Any person who is the registered owner of a passenger motor vehicle, a motor truck, a trailer, a camper, a private bus, or a motorcycle registered with the department, excluding proportionally registered vehicles, or who makes application for an original registration or renewal registration of such vehicle or camper may, upon payment of the fee prescribed in section 8 of this act, apply to the department for salmon species enrichment license plates, in the manner described in section 7 of this act, which plates shall be affixed to the vehicle or camper for which registration is sought in lieu of the regular license plates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The salmon species enrichment license plates shall be the design selected under section 3 of this act and shall consist of numbers, letters, or both, as established by the department by rule.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The salmon species enrichment license plates shall be issued only to the registered owner of a vehicle on which they are to be displayed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. An applicant for issuance of salmon species enrichment license plates or renewal of such plates in the subsequent year pursuant to this chapter shall file an application therefor in such form and by such date as the department may require.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. In addition to the regular registration fee, and any other fees and taxes required to be paid upon registration, the applicant shall be charged a fee of thirty-five dollars. In addition to the regular renewal fee, and in addition to any other fees and taxes required to be paid, the applicant for a renewal of such plates shall be charged an additional fee of twenty-five dollars. All salmon species enrichment license plates must be renewed on an annual basis, regardless of whether a vehicle on which they are displayed will not be driven on public highways or may also be eligible to display permanent license plates valid for the life of such vehicle without annual renewal. Salmon species enrichment license plates that are not renewed must be surrendered to the department, and failure to do so is a traffic infraction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Whenever any person who has been issued salmon species enrichment license plates applies to the department for transfer of such plates to a subsequently acquired vehicle or camper eligible for salmon species enrichment license plates, a transfer fee of five dollars shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees. Such transfer fees shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. When any person who has been issued salmon species enrichment license plates sells, trades, or otherwise releases ownership of the vehicle upon which the salmon species enrichment license plates have been displayed, he or she shall immediately report the transfer of such plates to an acquired vehicle or camper eligible for salmon species enrichment license plates, pursuant to section 9 of this act, or he or she shall surrender such plates to the department. Failure to surrender such plates is a traffic infraction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The director of licensing may establish such rules as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 1 through 10 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Administrative costs incurred by the department as a direct result of sections 1 through 12 of this act shall be appropriated by the legislature from the salmon species enrichment license fee account created in section 2 of this act. If the actual costs incurred by the department are less than that which has been appropriated by the legislature the remainder shall revert to the state salmon species enrichment license fee account.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. Sections 1 through 12 of this act are each added to chapter 46.16 RCW.