The Senate Transportation Committee has approved SB 1179, the bill to limit new specialty license plates to just public agencies or foundations that benefit them, sending it to the full Senate, after much debate. Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, said he sponsored legislation to limit specialty plates two years ago; it passed the Senate but stalled in the House. But he said this bill, proposed by new Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Hammond, goes too far by limiting the plates to just government agencies.

"There are groups and organizations that are using these plates successfully," McGee said, such as the Special Olympics, which wouldn't qualify under the bill; existing plates, however, would be grandfathered in. McGee moved to hold the bill in committee, but Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, made a substitute motion to send it to the full Senate with a "do pass" recommendation, and that motion carried on a voice vote. "There are all kinds of things that people are trying to do with plates to benefit groups out there that many of us wouldn't agree with," Werk said. "I just think it's a good idea to try to do this."