Rep. Nate’s ‘freedom bill’ on front license plates shot down in the House

The House has rejected legislation from Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, to remove the requirement for a front license plate on cars that aren’t manufactured with a spot or bracket for them. The vote was 28 in favor, 42 against. The bill was opposed by major Idaho law enforcement groups, who said it would decrease officer safety and hurt their ability to identify vehicles to enforce laws on everything from speeding to kidnapping to vehicle theft to Amber Alerts.

“It’s a freedom bill,” Nate told the House, urging support for the bill – though he was the only one to speak in favor of it. “This came from actually several constituents who have found it difficult and near impossible to install the front plate, with the way their cars are made. … This bill will help car dealers and car purchasers from the additional expense.”

Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, said she’d received two letters from law enforcement opposing the bill. “The advantage is if they are going one direction and the stolen vehicle is going the other direction,” she said. “I think this is a safety issue. I am going to be voting no.”

Rep. Clark Kauffman, R-Filer, said, “I have the same concerns.” He noted that the Idaho Sheriffs Association recently voted to oppose the bill.

The 28 “yes” votes on HB 110 came from Reps. Armstrong, Barbieri, Chaney, Crane, Dayley, DeMordaunt, Dixon, Gestrin, Giddings, Hanks, Harris, Hixon, Holtzclaw, Kingsley, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nate, Palmer, Raybould, Scott, Shepherd, Troy, Trujillo, VanOrden, VanderWoude,  Zito and Zollinger.

The 42 “no” votes were from Reps. Amador, Anderson, Anderst, Bedke, Bell, Blanksma, Boyle, Burtenshaw, Cheatham, Chew, Clow, Collins, Erpelding, Gannon, Gibbs, Hartgen, Horman, Jordan, Kauffman, Kerby, King, Kloc, Loertscher, Luker, Malek, Manwaring, McCrostie, McDonald, Mendive, Miller, Packer, Perry, Redman, Rubel, Smith, Stevenson, Syme, Thompson, Toone, Wintrow, Wood, and Youngblood.