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Senate adopts substitute making 'In God We Trust' specialty plate a state special-recognition plate
Summary
The Senate substituted House Bill 34 to create an 'In God We Trust' special‑recognition license plate with a one‑time fee (removing an annual $25 distribution) and advanced the substitute to third reading after floor debate and substitution; a private donor pledged $5,000 to defray start‑up costs, according to the sponsor.
Senator Weiler presented the first substitute to House Bill 34, which would make an "In God We Trust" special group license plate available through the state as a special‑recognition plate. The substitute removes annual distributions of $25 to a designated organization and instead makes the plate available for a one‑time fee; sponsor said a private donor pledged $5,000 to cover the initial fiscal cost of producing the plates.
The sponsor argued the substitute addressed constitutional and competitive concerns raised about the original House bill by eliminating an annual state‑distributed fund that would have required a state agency to select recipient organizations. On the floor the sponsor noted that multiple courts within the relevant jurisdictions have upheld use of the phrase "In God We Trust" on currency and some public displays; the sponsor cited that context when defending the substitute.
Senators asked technical questions and the body adopted the substitute; the sponsor then called the question and the substitute was read for a third time. The transcript records the third‑reading roll call but does not include a final numeric tally in the excerpt provided here.
The sponsor said the substitute removes the contested funding distribution and leaves the plate available without ongoing state allocations; the recorded floor action advanced the first substitute to third reading.
