New Senate, House transportation chairmen want to limit future specialty license plates

New Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, thinks Idaho issues too many specialty license plates for too many things, so he’s proposing legislation to limit them in the future to state or public agencies or “foundations supporting the interests of state or local government.” Hammond said he doesn’t want to do away with any of the existing specialty plates, which would be grandfathered in, but he said, “Any further specialty plates would have to support a general government good,” and said, “The government of Idaho would get out of the business of raising money for private causes.”

Current specialty plates include ones to benefit the Special Olympics, the National Rifle Association, an “Idaho Freemason” plate and the “Corvette, America’s Sports Car” plate. Hammond said new House Transportation Chairman Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, has agreed to co-sponsor his bill, which the Senate Transportation Committee agreed today to send to the Senate Judiciary Committee for introduction.