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Committee approves blackout license‑plate option with lower annual fee after debate
Summary
The House Transportation Committee amended Senate Bill 2133 to reduce the proposed recurring fee for a black license plate and struck an initial one‑time surcharge; the committee gave the bill a do‑pass recommendation on a recorded vote.
The House Transportation Committee voted to amend and advance legislation that would allow a black ("blackout") license plate option. Representatives debated whether specialty plates dilute the state’s standard plate and discussed appropriate fees to cover production costs.
Representative Ben Koppelman said plate foundations such as university or conservation plates already divert part of the annual fee to foundations; because a blackout plate lacks a foundation, he proposed lowering the recurring fee. "My suggestion ... is we strike line 10 and change the words 25 to 10," Koppelman said, to set a $10 annual fee for the blackout plate rather than $25 and to remove an added one‑time administrative surcharge.
Committee discussion touched on motorcycle plates, the production cost differential for heavily printed plates, and public sentiment about preserving the state’s standard plate look. Representative Casper said she opposed the change because she preferred the current plate design and worried about the proliferation of plate styles.
The committee adopted the Koppelman amendment to remove the additional one‑time fee and reduce the recurring fee to $10. The committee then voted to give the bill a do‑pass as amended; the clerk recorded the roll call result as 11 yes and 3 no.
Sponsors and supporters said the fee structure covers incremental production costs and that many purchasers will also add vanity or specialty designations (which carry separate fees), while opponents said the state plate’s identity should be preserved.
