Panel approves specialty license plate for retired legislators after lowering House eligibility

Representative Bartlett introduced House Bill 1122 to create a specialty license plate recognizing retired members of the General Assembly. As introduced the bill made members eligible after serving six House terms (12 years), three Senate terms, or a combined 12 years in both houses.

During committee review members asked about the rationale for the 12-year threshold. Bartlett said the threshold reflected a judgment that long-serving peers had shown trust and service and that the requirement was not set in stone; the chair offered a chairman's amendment changing House eligibility to five terms (10 years) while leaving the Senate requirement at three terms. Representative Dave Heiney asked that the amendment set the House threshold to 10 years; the committee adopted the chair’s amendment with consent.

Committee members clarified that the plate would be purchased by those who wanted it and would not convey any official privilege or free benefit. After brief discussion the committee voted 11-1 to advance the bill as amended. Representative Bartlett, who said this was his first bill in the Roads and Transportation Committee, thanked members following the vote.

The measure now moves to the next stage of the House process.