Over law enforcement objections, House panel endorses Nate bill lifting front license plate requirement for some cars
Despite urging from multiple law enforcement representatives to reject it, the House Transportation Committee has voted 10-7 in favor of Rep. Ron Nate’s bill to remove the requirement for a front license plate for any vehicle that wasn’t manufactured with a spot for one. Chairman Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, commented that the measure, HB 110, could spark an interesting discussion on the floor of the House; Nate said he’d carry it there.
Among those testifying against the bill were Lt. Col. Kedrick Wills of the Idaho State Police; Victor McCraw, division administrator for the Idaho Peace Officers Standards and Training, or POST, and a former longtime highway patrol officer; and Rep. Patrick McDonald, R-Boise, a former state trooper. They said the requirement for front plates is important for officer safety, and a key tool for identifying stolen cars and criminal suspects. “It makes our job that much more difficult and it makes our troopers that much less safe,” Wills, in full ISP uniform, told the committee.
Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, said, “Law enforcement has presented some pretty compelling testimony … that having a front plate could save lives and is necessary for officer safety.” He moved to hold the bill in committee; but Rep. Steven Harris, R-Boise, made a substitute motion to send the bill to the full House with a recommendation that it “do pass.”
A voice vote left the chair in doubt as to which side had more votes, so the roll was called. Those voting in favor of Harris’ motion were Reps. Palmer, Shepherd, Gestrin, Hixon, Youngblood, Dixon, Harris, Holtzclaw, Monks and DeMordaunt. Those voting “no” were Reps. Kauffman, Packer, McDonald, Syme, King, Wintrow and Gannon.
Nate told the committee, “Currently 19 states do not require a front plate, and the entire country of Canada does not require one.” Plus, he said, “Esthetics matter to a lot of car owners, especially in higher-end cars.” He added, “Many new cars are not manufactured to accommodate it.”
The only person to testify in favor of the bill, other than Nate, the sponsor, was Fred Birnbaum of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, who told the lawmakers, “The enforcement of the requirement for front vehicles is very scattershot. … Only certain people are being stopped and ticketed.” He said, “I think this bill is really catching up to the reality of the situation.”
McDonald told the committee - of which he's a member - that when he was an ISP officer, he often issued warnings, but sometimes gave citations for a missing front license plate.
