Committee hears proposed substitute for up to 12 special license plates and oversight work group

A proposed substitute to Senate Bill 5,444 would authorize up to 12 new special license plates, require sponsoring organizations to submit 3,500 signatures before a plate is implemented, phase plate launches across 2025–27, change proceeds distributions for some existing plates, raise certain personalized-plate fees and create a multi-year Department of Licensing work group to review oversight and application rules.

Brian Moore, committee staff, told the Senate Transportation Committee the proposed substitute authorizes up to 12 plates and requires sponsoring organizations to collect 3,500 signatures. "Five of those license plates have already done so, and so what the bill contemplates is that those five special license plates would begin implementation, beginning 11/01/2025," Moore said. The next seven plates would have until Oct. 1, 2026, to submit signatures to begin implementation Nov. 1, 2026; plates that miss that deadline could try again by Oct. 1, 2027, with implementation beginning Nov. 1, 2027.

Moore also described changes to proceeds…