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Senate advances House Bill 48 after close vote over Centennial license plates
Summary
Senate debate over House Bill 48 split over whether to end Centennial specialty plates at year-end or make the Centennial design the state plate; a substitute to make the plate permanent failed 13–13 and the original bill passed to third reading 15–10 with four absent.
The Utah Senate debated competing proposals over the future of Centennial specialty license plates and moved the bill to the third-reading calendar.
Senator Montgomery summarized House Bill 48 as a measure recommended by the Utah Centennial Commission to terminate the option to obtain Centennial license plates after Dec. 31, 1996. He said the intent was to stimulate sales this year so the Centennial Fund would receive more revenue; the Commission had estimated Centennial plates would account for about 15 percent of its budget but had received only about 8 percent to date.
Senator Black offered a substitute that would make the Centennial plate the state license plate beginning January 1997, arguing the current Centennial plate is more visible and the highway patrol favored it for readability. That substitute was put to a division and failed on a 13–13 standing count.
Senator Steele, the committee chair, said he would vote to put the bill on the third-reading calendar but hoped the body would revisit the issue later. After roll call, the presiding officer announced House Bill 48 had 15 aye votes, 10 nay votes and 4 absent and would pass to the bottom of the third-reading calendar.
Because the dispute involved revenue for the Centennial Commission and the upcoming Olympics' specialty plates, senators flagged the question of whether continuing issuance would dilute sales. The session proceeded with the bill advanced for further consideration on third reading.
