TAPE/#

Speaker

Comments

TAPE 58, A

003

Chair Gilman

Calls the meeting to order at 1:06 p.m. Opens a public hearing on      HB 2655.

HB 2655 – PUBLIC HEARING

006

Patrick Brennan

Committee Administrator. Introduces HB 2655 and -1 amendments (EXHIBIT A).

024

H.A. MacDonald

Greater Salem Area Veterans Organization. Testifies on wrong bill. Speaks in support of a license plate to recognize the contributions of veterans.

045

Mary Ellen Holly

Keep Oregon Green (KOG), Inc. Testifies in support of HB 2655. Notes that Smokey Bear is the second most recognized symbol in the United States behind Santa Claus. Notes that the bill has no fiscal impact.

063

Rep. Burley

Asks for an elaboration of “group plate program.”

065

Holly

Answers that KOG will put $10,000 up front and must sell one thousand license plates in the first year to get the money back. Explains that producing the vinyl decals for the license plates will cost $8,000.

075

Rep. Boone

Notes that she will get a Smokey Bear license plate if they are made available.

084

Charlie Stone

Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). Testifies in support of           HB 2655.

088

Rep. Boone

Asks how many license plates are expected to sell.

089

Holly

Answers thousands.

091

Stone

States that ODF employees have spoken for 210 sets of license plates in the first two years after they are made available.

098

Holly

Notes the partnership with Big Town Hero restaurants, in which information about the license plates are posted in the stores.

103

Robin Freeman

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Submits and reads prepared testimony regarding HB 2655 (EXHIBIT B).

200

Rep. Hunt

Asks for an explanation of “custom plates.”

203

Freeman

Answers that custom plates are a specifically requested license number on a specialty or standard tree license plate.

208

Rep. Hunt

Asks where the $3 million transferred from custom plates goes to.

213

Lana Cully

Vehicle Programs Manager, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), ODOT. Answers that the $50 custom license plate fee goes to the Litter Fund.

224

Rep. Bruun

Clarifies that the money transferred goes to the organization that requests the plates. Asks which figures in the table (EXHIBIT B) are costs to Oregon.

238

Freeman

Answers that the costs are to DMV. States that she does not think that there are costs that are not covered by the program, but will provide the information to the committee.

248

Cully

States that costs occur when groups are invalidated due to lack of license plate sales.

255

Rep. Bruun

Asks how many plates must to be sold to break even.

263

Freeman

Explains the DMV costs associated with license plates.

267

Rep. Burley

Cites ORS 805.205 and asks why there is a difference in surcharges.

279

Freeman

Answers that the surcharges are for veterans, higher education, and non-profit organization plates.

283

Rep. Burley

Asks about consistency in the license plate surcharge policies.

292

Freeman

Answers that there are different costs for each type of license plate.

305

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 2655. Opens a public hearing on     HB 2809.

HB 2809 – PUBLIC HEARING

308

Patrick Brennan

Committee Administrator. Introduces HB 2809.

318

Maura Roche

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. Submits and reads prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2809 (EXHIBIT C).

385

Treasure Mackley

Field Director, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-Choice Oregon. Submits and reads prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2809 (EXHIBIT D).

TAPE 59, A

007

Andrea Meyer

Legislative Affairs Director, American Civil Liberties (ACLU) of Oregon. Submits and reads prepared testimony in opposition to         HB 2809 (EXHIBIT E).

060

Robin Freeman

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Submits and reads prepared testimony regarding HB 2809 (EXHIBIT F).

114

Rep. Boone

Asks if General Fund requirements would require the bill to go to the Ways and Means Committee.

116

Chair Gilman

Responds that all of the bills regarding license plates have subsequent referrals to the Ways and Means Committee. Closes the public hearing on 2809. Opens a public hearing on HB 2887.

HB 2887 – PUBLIC HEARING

120

Jim Stembridge

Committee Administrator. Introduces HB 2887.

130

H. A. MacDonald

Greater Salem Area Veterans Organization. Testifies in support of     HB 2887. Proposes amendments to the bill to change the way in which veterans’ plates are administered. Questions the $10,000 startup cost for administering license plates.

200

Andrea Meyer

Legislative Affairs Director, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon. Testifies in opposition to HB 2887. Argues that allowing the plates is a violation of the Constitution.

230

Rep. Bruun

Asks for the mission statement for the ACLU.

233

Meyer

Summarizes the ACLU mission statement.

240

Rep. Bruun

Opines that the luxury of defending the Bill of Rights is provided by the sacrifices of soldiers.

251

Robin Freeman

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Submits and reads prepared testimony regarding HB 2887 (EXHIBIT G).

329

Rep. Hunt

Asks how the time frame is figured to determine how long it will take to sell enough license plates to break even.

334

Freeman

Explains the assumptions that are used to determine the number of months.

358

Mark Luka

Concerned citizen. Testifies in support of HB 2887. Explains the work being done on war memorials and argues that commemorating veterans through license plates is akin to commemorating the civil rights and women’s suffrage movement.

TAPE 58, B

004

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 2887. Opens a public hearing on      HB 3013.

HB 3013 – PUBLIC HEARING

009

Jim Stembridge

Committee Administrator. Introduces HB 3013 and the -1 amendment (EXHIBIT H).

017

Martel Radford

Oregon resident. Testifies in support of HB 3013. Submits a sample license plate design (EXHIBIT I).

033

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 3013. Reopens the public hearing on HB 2887.

HB 2887 – PUBLIC HEARING

038

Rep. Brian Boquist

House District 23. Testifies in support of HB 2887. Conveys the support of Rep. Donna Nelson.

064

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 2887. Reopens the public hearing on HB 3013.

HB 3013 – PUBLIC HEARING

070

Robin Freeman

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Submits and reads prepared testimony regarding HB 3013 (EXHIBIT J).

086

Alan Hageman

Sergeant, Oregon State Police. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 3013, HB 2655, HB 2809, HB 2887 and HB 3116 (EXHIBIT K). Argues against expanding the number of registration plate designs.

106

Rep. Hunt

Asks about plate designs that are similar to current plates.

109

Hageman

Answers that the more styles of license plates, the more confusing it becomes.

114

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 3013. Opens a public hearing on     HB 3116.

HB 3116 – PUBLIC HEARING

119

Jim Stembridge

Committee Administrator. Introduces HB 3116.

127

Rep. Dave Hunt

House District 40. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of HB 3116 (EXHIBIT L). Notes that the Crater Lake license plate has generated one million dollars in approximately three years.

165

Chair Gilman

Remarks that Crater Lake is in his district.

168

Rep. Boone

Asks why a sticker could not be made to put on a license plate, rather than develop an entirely new specialty plate.

189

Rep. Hunt

Responds that he would have no objection to such a change if it were to generate revenue for schools.

195

Rep. Boone

Notes that the specialty license plates are about making a statement about a topic and the sticker would be a better way to express and reduce confusion.

210

Robin Freeman

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Submits and reads prepared testimony regarding HB 3116 (EXHIBIT M). Notes that the Crater Lake license plate was a one-time fee and it was more affordable than other specialty plates.

235

Rep. Hunt

Asks why there is a cost differential between 2,000 and 3,000 plates to break even.

242

Freeman

Answers that it is due to the graphic artists and costs. States that she will provide further information to the committee.

253

Chair Gilman

Closes the public hearing on HB 3013. Adjourns the meeting at 2:20 p.m.