Committee reports bill to create specialty license plates; amendments direct fees to Alzheimer's and lupus groups

The House Transportation Committee reported House Bill 854 with amendments on March 17. The bill would authorize several specialty license plates, add schools and other causes to the eligible list, and set implementation steps for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections’ Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV).

Miss Champagne read multiple amendment sets. Several technical edits were adopted; amendments 2 and 6 add Haynesville Junior and Senior High School and Lincoln Preparatory High School to the list of eligible specialty plates. One amendment inserts implementation language directing the OMV to create the plates "when applicable statutory provisions are met and the department's electronic vehicle and registration system is updated to accommodate the creation of the new plates." Another amendment removes a departmental administrative retention of $1 from each annual fee and instead directs the annual fee to be forwarded to the Alzheimer's Association Louisiana Chapter and the Tamney Fleming Lupus Foundation.

Representative Shamenhorn raised concerns about OMV's capacity to produce and stock an expanding number of specialty plates, noting reports of shortages near military bases and asking whether the agency can meet demand. Representative Walters and others said the committee would hear from an OMV commissioner on Monday and suggested a moratorium could be considered if plate proliferation becomes problematic.

Representative Walters moved to report HB 854 with amendments; there were no objections and the committee reported the bill with the adopted amendment sets. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.