SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5488

As Passed Senate, January 23, 2002

Title:  An act relating to special license plates.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to special license plates.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Benton, T. Sheldon and Winsley).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/5/01, 2/22/01 [DPS].

Passed Senate:  3/14/01, 49-0; 1/23/02, 46-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5488 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Benton, Eide, Horn, Jacobsen, Kastama, McDonald, Oke, Prentice, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Dean Carlson (786‑7305)

Background:  Special motor vehicle license plates are those plates containing a unique design recognizing a particular organization or membership in a particular group.  Some of these special plates are used to raise money for  particular causes and others are used to honor residents of the state for particular activities.

Summary of Bill:  The special "Help Kids Speak" license plate series is established.  The license plates are available January 1, 2003.  The charge is $40 initially and $30 for each renewal.  Monies raised from the issuance of these plates are sent to the newly created "Help Kids Speak" license plate account.  Expenditures from the account may be used only by the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction to fund the "Help Kids Speak" grant program.  The purpose of the grant program is to provide grants to nonprofit charitable organizations that provide nationally certified speech pathologists at no cost to youngsters who have speech disorders.

A special license plate is created, at no additional charge, for residents that have been awarded the law enforcement medal of honor.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Ten percent of youngsters are afflicted with a speaking disorder.  Many grow out of it, but miss out on a lot of years of communication.  This is advantageous to young parents.  They also provide parental training.  Every child should be afforded the opportunity to enter a speech program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Haugen, prime sponsor; Don White, Childhood Language Disorders Program; Steve Anderson, Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders; Bill Hammontree, Grand Chapter of Washington Order of the Eastern Star.