wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1952 > Original Bill
The high cost of implementing a new special license plate series, coupled with the uncertainty of the state's ability to recoup its costs, has led the legislature to delay the implementation of new special license plates. In order to address these issues, it is the intent of the legislature to create a mechanism that will allow for the opportunity to review and evaluate the special license plate process, to ensure efficacy of the program, and to ensure this program does not result in undue costs to the state of Washington. With the creation of a task force, the legislature will be better equipped to efficiently process special license plate legislation.
This section expires December 1, 2026.
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A legislative task force to review the special license plate process is established, with members as provided in this subsection:
The president of the senate shall appoint two senate members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate;
The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two house members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;
At least one member from each caucus must be a member of the transportation committee, or successor committee; and
The governor shall appoint two members representing the department of licensing.
The task force shall choose its chair from among its legislative membership. Legislators shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.
The task force shall review the following issues:
Application requirements and evaluation of special license plate requests;
Cost of implementing new special license plates and a funding policy for future requests;
The state's ability to recoup the cost of new special license plates; and
Efficiency in processing special license plate legislation.
Legislative members of the task force may be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.
The expenses of the task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2025.
This section expires December 1, 2026.
The department must review and either approve or reject special license plate applications submitted by sponsoring organizations. Except for the special license plates created in chapter . . . (House Bill No. 1368), Laws of 2025, the department may not approve special license plate applications until June 30, 2029.
Duties of the department include, but are not limited to, the following:
Review and approve the annual financial reports submitted by sponsoring organizations with active special license plate series and present those annual financial reports to the joint transportation committee;
Report annually to the joint transportation committee on the special license plate applications that were considered by the department;
Issue approval and rejection notification letters to sponsoring organizations, the executive committee of the joint transportation committee, and the legislative sponsors identified in each application. The letters must be issued within seven days of making a determination on the status of an application; and
Review annually the number of plates sold for each special license plate series created after January 1, 2003. The department may submit a recommendation to discontinue a special plate series to the executive committee of the joint transportation committee.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect when chapter . . . (House Bill No. 1368), Laws of 2025 is enacted. If chapter . . . (House Bill No. 1368) is not enacted by June 30, 2025, this act is null and void.