WA lawmakers weigh new license plates, rules

WA lawmakers weigh specialty license plates

Some Washington lawmakers are taking a closer look at specialty license plates, despite an ongoing race against the clock to pass a balanced state budget.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Specialty license plates are getting renewed attention as the legislature races toward its Sunday deadline. As they work on a balanced budget, lawmakers are looking at introducing new plates and changing the process around them – honoring a colleague in the process.

Every year, legislators consider creating a handful of new special design license plates, with plates around J.P. Patches, state wineries and the San Juan Islands being introduced in recent years. Groups looking to establish a new plate need to collect signatures and money to start production.

Proceeds collected through sale of the plates go to the sponsoring organization after the Department of Licensing collects administrative costs.

Some proposed plates in SB5444

Heard in the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, Senate Bill 5444 would make up to 13 new special design license plates, including ones for Mount St. Helens, pickleball and Smokey Bear.

"I see these plates and not only enjoy how they add to the boring task of driving on the road, but I'm also happy to know that the purchase of the plate went to a good cause," testified Rosie Ying, a senior at Kirkland’s Lake Washington High School.

"This is important not only because it raises funds for wildfire prevention programs, but it really does raise awareness for preventing wildfires," Pat Sullivan with the Department of Natural Resources said about the Smokey Bear plate at an April 3 hearing.

At the same time, the legislation also establishes a moratorium on any new special designs and creates a workgroup to study rules around proposing plates.

Cars at WA state capitol

The state offers over 60 special design plates, with DOL data showing the most popular are the Washington State University, Washington national parks and Seattle Seahawks plates. On the other hand, plates around tennis, the Seattle Storm and the Future Farmers of America are the least purchased and renewed.

Prime sponsor Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, said a review is necessary as some plates make it into production without vetting on how popular they would be.

Old WSU specialty license plate

"This workgroup will establish different parameters in terms of how many signatures you need to gather to put a specialty license plate, what the amount of money these groups can raise on these specialty license plates," he said. "I think it’s just a better process, so it’s not piecemealed by different legislators."

But why are lawmakers talking about this now, at a time where they are racing against the clock to pass a balanced budget with funding cuts and increased taxes?

Cortes said some of the specialty plates will generate revenue for driver’s education and electric vehicle charging, and the bill was negotiated by the late Sen. Bill Ramos, who died unexpectedly this past weekend.

Sen. Bill Ramos

"I don’t think it’s so much it’s taking priority over more important things," Cortes said. "It just so happens by random chance that it got revived at the last minute. Again, Senator Ramos, I attribute to helping revive this bill."

Cortes said he initially proposed a handful of new special plates, but the legislation stalled as the legislative session went on. Ramos suggested combining Cortes’ legislation with other plate proposals and a review of the special plate process.

Even though there are only five days left in the regular session, and a lot of other issues for legislators to resolve, Cortes said there is a "very high likelihood" the bill will make it through, as lawmakers want to see Ramos’ work be successful.

Sen. Adrian Cortes

"I’d like to hope that it happens this year," he said. "This has Senator Ramos’ fingerprints all over it, and I'd like to be able to pull this across the finish line kind of as a tribute to him."

The bill is slated to be voted out of committee on Wednesday morning, a crucial step to move it along with days before the 2025 session ends.

Albert James is a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University.

The Source: Information for this article comes from the Olympia News Bureau.