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Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idaho lawmakers have introduced several license plate bills. It's quite a wide variety
Idaho lawmakers have introduced several license plate bills this year — from a new 'Too Great for Hate' plate to options associated with the conservative movement to two potato plates. Among the new options for vehicle owners could be 'An Appeal to Heaven' plate. Also, the existing Gadsden flag plate could be available for more vehicles. 'I think my kid has the ski one on his car right now. He's a big skier and I think it's a way for people to generally have their expressions,' said Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, who co-sponsored the Appeal to Heaven bill. The potato plate (one black and white, one white and teal) would 'pay tribute to Idaho's iconic crop,' according to Rep. Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley, the sponsor. Specialty plate bills can become controversial, for a variety of reasons, and don't always make it through the legislative process. Some legislators over the years have voted against every specialty plate on principle. One of this year's specialty potato plates, for example, drew concern about its coloring. Some lawmakers and one member of the public said the white and teal might look too much like Washington state's plate. 'I assure you the last thing our Northern Idahoans want is to be labeled a Washingtonian,' said Katherine Kirk, Idaho Heritage Trust executive director, during a public hearing. Despite the concerns, the Senate Transportation Committee sent it to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The Appeal to Heaven plate is a reference to a flag dating to the time of the American Revolution that has taken on conservative symbolism in recent years, according to The New York Times. The flag flew on ships under George Washington's command, according to The Associated Press. The design is now associated with groups who want to insert more religion into government, who support President Donald Trump and in part of the 'Stop The Steal' movement in 2020-21, when Trump lost the presidential election, The Times reported. None of that is why he wanted the plate, Tanner told the Statesman. He said the goal was to symbolize America's values from over two centuries ago. 'We do need more God, in a sense, in everybody's life, but this is not the intention of we're doing this,' Tanner said. 'I'd run a Trump flag if it was for Trump. That has nothing to do with it.' Idaho's plate would have a pine tree, 'An Appeal to Heaven' on the bottom and Idaho on the top. The Gadsden flag also originated around the time of the American Revolution, and later became associated with the right-wing populism of the Tea Party movement, according to Britannica. Some view it as having racist undertones, according to Britannica. This year's bill clarifies the image of the license plate: bright yellow, with the image of a rattlesnake in the center and the words 'Don't Tread on Me' on the bottom. Lawmakers first approved the Gadsden plate last year, according to previous Statesman reporting. This also isn't the first time legislators have tried to create a 'Too Great for Hate' option for drivers. In 2020, the Idaho Legislature killed an attempt on its final vote of the session, according to previous Statesman reporting. The year before, the bill passed the Senate but never got a hearing in the House. If any of these bills pass, it's up to Idahoans whether they want them. Tanner said he has the specialty Idaho Capitol plate on his car. 'I like that plate. I don't know, I might get this one when my registration is up,' Tanner said, referring to the Appeal to Heaven plate.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bill creating two new potato license plates advances in Idaho Legislature
Idaho state Rep. Douglas Pickett, left, presents a bill creating new specialty potato license plates on Feb. 18, 2025, at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. The design of one of the proposed new license plates appears on the screen behind Pickett. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) Potato proponents, spud supporters and French fry fanatics across the state may soon rejoice. The Idaho Legislature is considering a bill that would add two new 'Idaho world famous potato' specialty license plates in Idaho. All standard Idaho license plates already prominently display the phrase 'famous potatoes.' And if the standard plate isn't enough for the most prominent potato partisans, there is already a specialty 'baked potato' license plate available from the Idaho Transportation Department for an additional fee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But during a meeting Tuesday at the Idaho State Capitol that could have passed for a sketch during the recent 'Saturday Night Live' anniversary comedy show, the House Transportation and Defense Committee voted to advance House Bill 204, which seeks to create two new specialty 'world famous potato' license plates inspired by vintage Idaho license plates that were available in the 1950s. Rep. Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley, and Spuddy Buddy's friends at the Idaho Potato Commission served up House Bill 207. If passed into law, House Bill 207 would create a black license plate with white type and a white license plate with teal type. Both would include the phrase 'Idaho world famous potatoes.' The new black plate would cost $70 plus regular registration fees for the initial issuance of the plate, with annual renewals running another $50. Of the initial fee, $45 would go to the state highway account and $25 would go to the Idaho Potato Commission. The white and teal plate (which several legislators said unfavorably resemble Washington vintage license plates) would become the least expensive license plate available to Idahoans – Pickett said it would cost $1 less than the standard plates available. 'Both of these plates are iconic tributes to Idaho heritage and patents, and there seems to be an increasing demand in particular for the black plate making a return, coming back,' Pickett said Tuesday. CONTACT US The Idaho Heritage Trust came out in opposition to the bill because of the white and teal plate becoming less expensive than standard plates. Katherine Kirk, the trust's executive director, said the standard red, white and blue Idaho license plates were created as part of the Idaho Centennial celebration in 1990. Kirk said the red, white and blue plates were so popular with the public they became the standard Idaho license plate in 1992. The assets from the centennial celebration, including a 50 cent per license plate royalty fee for use of the original trademark, were then transferred to the Idaho Heritage Trust, which preserves Idaho artifacts and historic buildings. Kirk said that making the new specialty plate the cheapest option creates competition with the standard plate and could hurt the trust's mission to work with state agencies to preserve historic buildings and artifacts. 'As such, IHC objects on the grounds the base price for the new plate is lower than the current standard plate, undermining royalties rightly paid to the trust per our standard agreement with the Legislature,' Kirk said. In the end, the House Transportation and Defense Committee voted to send House Bill 207 to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives with a recommendation it pass. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
