Orofino could become the first school district in the state with its own specialty license plate, writes reporter Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune, after Rep. Paul Shepherd, R-Riggins, introduced legislation Monday to create a special plate to benefit the “Friends of the Orofino Maniacs.” That’s the mascot for Orofino Junior-Senior High School; Orofino also is the location of State Hospital North, the state mental hospital. The school's slogan is, "Home of the Maniacs, Once a Maniac, Always a Maniac." The proposed plate has no slogans on it, but displays the Maniacs logo on the left side.

Shepherd said it would raise money for School District 171 to pay for field trips, educational speakers and other academic enrichment programs, along with scholarships for dual credit classes; none of the money would go to athletics. “It’s a community with a lot of school spirit,” Shepherd told the House Transportation Committee. The panel agreed to introduce the bill; it also sent the full House legislation Monday for a new specialty plate to benefit the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, proposed by Reps. Clark Kauffman and Maxine Bell.  Spence’s full post is online here at his “Political Theater” blog.

Other new specialty license plates proposed so far this year include SB 1022, creating an “America the Beautiful” plate to benefit military families; and HB 16, creating a plate to benefit the “Friends of the NRA.” That one passed the House yesterday on a 61-8 vote.