A.G. Gancarski
The Florida House approved a revision of the state’s specialty license plate program Tuesday, albeit with an amendment that forces the full Senate to take up the legislation again.
SB 364, approved by the Senate unanimously last week, is this year’s vehicle for changes to Florida’s ever-evolving specialty license plate program. But the House and Senate still have minor differences in where to steer the future of tags.
The amendment, adopted Monday by the House, lowers the number of tags in circulation from the Senate bill, dropping to 135 active tags. The Senate bill has that number at 150.
Hollywood Democratic Rep. Joe Geller said the 123 available are already “pretty close” to the 135 contemplated by the House, saying he was down on the lowered threshold. Geller was one of just 10 “no” votes on the bill overall.
The House amendment also contemplates maintaining the threshold of 3,000 voucher pre-sales, while the Senate wants to cut that number to 2,500.
This bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Aaron Bean, would begin the development process for Inter Miami CF, Safe Haven for Newborns, Pap Corps Champions for Cancer Research, Learn to Fly, Florida Swims, Down Syndrome Awareness, Take Stock in Children, and Gopher Tortoise license plates.
Rep. Yvonne Hinson pushed for the Ethical Ecotourism tag to be added, as it had been previously in the Senate process, but the Gainesville Democrat’s request was rebuffed.
Rep. Alex Rizo, in close, noted that the bill does not remove license plates from circulation.
“Demand is up,” the Hialeah Republican said optimistically.
