Idaho’s Capitol restoration special license plate is now the state’s third-largest selling specialty plate, Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, told the Senate, and so the Capitol Commission would like to keep selling it. Otherwise, the law establishing that special plate would expire; HB 355 removes the expiration so the program can continue. Geddes said the commission wants to continue the plate both to raise money – it’s garnering about $80,000 a year in revenue – and to “maintain interest in the Capitol restoration as it is proceeding.” However, he told a story about spotting one on the car ahead of him at a gas station recently. He asked the motorists what they thought about the Statehouse renovation, and “they looked at me like I was from Soda Springs.” It turned out the motorists didn’t know anything about the renovation. Instead, they said, “We just like the plate because it matches the paint on our car.” That’s OK, Geddes said. And the Senate, on a 29-5 vote, agreed. The bill, having already passed the House, now goes to the governor’s desk.

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