Title: An act relating to the armed forces license plate collection.

Brief Description: Authorizing the armed forces license plate collection.

Sponsors: Representatives Hudgins, Ericksen, McCoy, Haigh, Miloscia, Simpson, Upthegrove, Kessler, Appleton, Williams, Curtis, Conway, Nixon, P. Sullivan, Kenney, Hinkle, Wallace, Jarrett, Dunn, Linville, Morris, Wood, Hunter, Sells, Clibborn, Morrell, Campbell, B. Sullivan and Chase; by request of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/14/05, 3/3/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Hankins, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Schindler, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Staff: Teresa Berntsen (786-7301).

Background:

The Legislature created the Special License Plate Review Board (Board) in the 2003 session to review special vehicle license plate applications from governmental or nonprofit organizations in Washington. The Board must verify that the organization and proposed plate meet criteria set by state law, and then forward the approved application to the Legislature.

On December 10, 2004, the Board approved the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs' "Armed Forces" license plate collection application.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The Department of Licensing must issue a special license plate collection displaying a symbol or artwork recognizing the contribution of veterans, active duty military personnel, and reservists. The collection includes five designs representing the army, navy, air force, marine corp, and coast guard.

An applicant for an "Armed Forces" license plate pays an initial fee of $40 and an annual renewal fee of $30. The initial revenue generated from the plate sales must be deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account until the state has been reimbursed for implementation costs. After reimbursement, the revenue must be deposited into the Veterans Stewardship Account, to be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs for activities that benefit veterans, including but not limited to programs and services for homeless veterans, establishing memorials honoring veterans, and maintaining a future state veterans' cemetery.

An organization sponsoring a collection of plates that does not pre-pay the state's implementation costs may meet the reimbursement requirements by dedicating the revenues from all plates sold to the common reimbursement requirement for the entire collection. If the total revenues from the sale of all plates are sufficient to meet the entire collection's reimbursement requirements, the complete collection will continue to be made available.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

Substitute bill makes the following changes:

• corrects references to statutes;
• allows the special plate to be purchased for trailers;
• clarifies the time periods during which certain registration fees apply; and
• adds the Washington National Guard Plate.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The sale of this plate will fund the Veterans Stewardship Account, which will be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs for activities that benefit veterans. These actives will include programs and services for homeless veterans, establishing memorials honoring veterans, and maintaining a future state veterans' cemetery. The plate will also honor the over 672,000 veterans in Washington.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Hudgins, prime sponsor; John Lee, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs; and Bill Barkley, Washington National Guard.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.