MTR VEHICLE/LICEN PLATES: Modifies the current and retired legislators special prestige license plates fee distribution
Summary
HB 988 revises the fee structure for special prestige license plates issued to current and retired Louisiana legislators. Under current law, these plates require a one-time $25 fee in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee. The bill keeps that one-time fee but adds a new annual $25 royalty fee for both retired-legislator plates and legislator plates, along with a $3.50 handling fee per plate retained by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to offset administrative costs.
The bill also changes where the annual royalty revenue goes. Instead of remaining with the plate program, the Department must forward the royalty fees to the Division of Administration, and those funds must be used for restoration efforts at the Pentagon Barracks. The bill further authorizes the secretary to adopt rules governing implementation, including plate design and what happens to the plates upon the recipient’s death.
Impact
HB 988 amends R.S. 47:463.37 and 47:463.49 to impose an ongoing annual royalty on current and retired legislators’ special prestige license plates, creating a new recurring revenue stream and changing the disposition of those funds. It also adds explicit authority for administrative rules on plate transfer, disposition, and design. The practical effect is to increase the cost of maintaining these specialty plates and to direct the resulting revenue to Pentagon Barracks restoration through the Division of Administration, while allowing DPS&C to retain a small handling fee for administration.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House unanimously, 87-0, and was later signed by the Governor as Act 685. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate in the materials, but the final vote indicates strong consensus around the measure.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the provided record. The only potentially notable policy issue is that the bill shifts the plate program from a one-time fee to an annual charge and redirects the revenue to a specific restoration purpose, which could raise questions about cost to plate holders and the use of specialty-plate proceeds. However, the unanimous House vote and lack of recorded committee objections suggest these issues did not generate significant contention.