The "we love our pets" license plate bill has passed both the house and the senate and was signed by Govenor Christine Gregoire's on April 18, 2005. The plates should be available in January 2006..

Text and status of SB 5977 (Updated 4/8/05)

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Slogan: "We Love Our Pets"

Artist:

Fee: Initial - $40, renewals - $30 (in addition to regular fees & taxes)

Amount to Spay-Neuter: Initial - $38 ($12 admin) Renewal $28 ($2 admin)

Fund: Chapter 46.16.755 RCW "We Love Our Pets" Account

Fund Administrator: The we love our pets account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. Upon the department's determination that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the we love our pets special license plate, all receipts, except as provided in RCW 46.16.313(12) (a) and (b), from we love our pets license plates must be deposited into the account. Only the director of the department of licensing or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Fund Disbursement: Funds in the account must be disbursed subject to the following conditions and limitations:

     (a) Pursuant to the requirements set out in RCW 46.16.765, the department must contract with a qualified nonprofit organization to support and to enable the Washington federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery of Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation.

     (b) For the purposes of this section, a "qualified nonprofit organization" means a not-for-profit corporation incorporated and operating exclusively in Washington that has received a determination of tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code. The organization must have been established for the express purpose of assisting local member agencies of the federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery on Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation.

Full Text of Senate Bill 5977 (pdf format)

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The legislature recognizes that the "we love our pets" license plate has been reviewed by the special license plate review board under RCW 46.16.725, and found to fully comply with all provisions of RCW 46.16.715 through 46.16.775.

     (2) The department shall issue a special license plate displaying a symbol or artwork, approved by the special license plate review board, recognizing an organization that assists local member agencies of the federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery on Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation. The special license plate may be used in lieu of regular or personalized license plates for vehicles required to display one or two vehicle license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:

     "We love our pets license plates" means license plates issued under section 1 of this act that display a symbol or artwork recognizing the efforts of the Washington state federation of animal care and control agencies in Washington state that assists local member agencies of the federation to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery of Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation.

Sec. 3   RCW 46.16.313 and 2004 c 221 s 3, 2004 c 48 s 3, and 2004 c 35 s 3 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

     (1) The department may establish a fee of no more than forty dollars for each type of special license plates issued under RCW 46.16.301(1) (a), (b), or (c), as existing before amendment by section 5, chapter 291, Laws of 1997, in an amount calculated to offset the cost of production of the special license plates and the administration of this program. This fee is in addition to all other fees required to register and license the vehicle for which the plates have been requested. All such additional special license plate fees collected by the department shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the motor vehicle fund.

 ///SNIPPED TEXT///

     (12)(a) Effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on or after January 1, 2006, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a vehicle, the holder of a "we love our pets" license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administrative and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "we love our pets" license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the we love our pets account established under section 4 of this act.

     (b) Effective with annual renewals due or to become due on or after January 1, 2007, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a vehicle registration, the holder of a "we love our pets" license plate shall, upon application, pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "we love our pets" license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the we love our pets account established under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The we love our pets account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. Upon the department's determination that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the we love our pets special license plate, all receipts, except as provided in RCW 46.16.313(12) (a) and (b), from we love our pets license plates must be deposited into the account. Only the director of the department of licensing or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

     (2) Funds in the account must be disbursed subject to the following conditions and limitations:

     (a) Pursuant to the requirements set out in RCW 46.16.765, the department must contract with a qualified nonprofit organization to support and to enable the Washington federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery of Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation.

     (b) For the purposes of this section, a "qualified nonprofit organization" means a not-for-profit corporation incorporated and operating exclusively in Washington that has received a determination of tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code. The organization must have been established for the express purpose of assisting local member agencies of the federation of animal welfare and control agencies to promote and perform spay/neuter surgery on Washington state pets, in order to reduce pet overpopulation.

     (c) The qualified nonprofit organization must meet all requirements set out in RCW 46.16.765.

Bill Sponsor(s):
Senators Oke, Regala
Representatives Lantz, Campbell, Appleton, Moeller, Conway

Supporting Organization(s):
WA  State Federation of Animal Welfare and Control This organization is made up of 52 different animal organizations: humane societies, animal control throughout the state.

No sales data available yet

Under a new Washington State specialty plate law, sponsoring groups must pre-pay the production cost (approximately. $28,000) or pay $2,000 and gather 2,000 signatures from motorists who say they'll buy a plate.

Organizations still can seek approval directly from the Legislature without going through the signature process, but the new system can put requests on a fast track toward a governor's signature.

Learn more here

The Olympian August 6, 2004: New specialty license plates to roll out under revised rules .

The state is scheduled to roll out the first new specialty license plates in eight years in November, ending a period in which previous proposals languished in the Legislature.

And 2006 could bring up to nine new specialty plates. Organizations and state agencies are using a new process to gain legislative approval so additional dollars can be funneled to pet projects through the sale and renewal of the plates.

Response to the newly formed Special License Plate Review Board has been outstanding, said Brad Benfield, spokesman for the state Department of Licensing.

"A lot of groups that have been trying for years to break into the specialty plate area now have an opportunity," he said. "In recent years, legislators have been very reluctant to approve new specialty plates and this is a way for groups interested in raising money to get the opportunity to do that."

About 4 percent of the more than 6 million vehicles registered in Washington have specialty plates, including those that are personalized and those for people with disabilities.

Read moreof this article here