Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Spec Sess Day11: It’s not like NOTHING is happening

OLYMPIA -- There have been some complaints about the activity, or lack of it, so far in the special session.

But while the Senate has yet to vote on anything of substance, and the House has managed only a vote on an emergency bailout of the Wenatchee arena, legislators aren't completely idle.

For example, three senators today filed a bill to add a special license plate for drivers, that would honor the state flower. It would add another specialty plate to the state's list of specialty plates, which currently stands at about two dozen.

We have plates to honor all the branches of the armed services, the various state universities, endangered wildlife, volunteer firefighters, professional firefighters and the Law Enforcement Memorial. There are plates that urge motorists to keep kids safe and help them speak, to share the road with bicyclists. Others take note of lighthouses, state parks, Gonzaga alums, pets, national parks in the state, state parks in the state, state wildlife, baseball stadiums, musicians and square dancers.

There's also a moratorium on new plate designs. But SB 5990 would make an exception to that section of the law, the way the Legislature did earlier this year for volunteer firefighters.

Quick: What is the state flower, anyway? Answer inside the blog

The state flower is the Coast Rhododendron. Some of the money from the sale of the state flower plates would go to Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens.



The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.