HB 1369
In CommitteeHouse
Working forest license plate
Creating special license plates that support working forests.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill establishes a new 'Working Forests' special license plate to raise funds for sustainable forest management in Washington. Revenue from the plate—after administrative costs—is directed to the Washington Tree Farm Program to support small private forestland owners. The plate costs $40 to issue and $30 to renew, and is available to vehicle owners who want to show support for working forests.
- Creates a new 'Working Forests' special license plate that displays imagery representing working forests.
- Sets an initial fee of $40.00 and a renewal fee of $30.00 for the plate, in addition to standard registration fees.
- Requires the Department of Licensing to collect fees, deduct up to $12 for initial and $2 for renewal administrative costs, and remit the remainder to the state treasurer for deposit into a dedicated account supporting the Washington Tree Farm Program.
- Directs all net proceeds from the Working Forests plate to the Washington Tree Farm Program to help small forest landowners sustainably manage over 400,000 acres of private forestland.
- Adds a new section to define 'Working Forests license plates' and incorporates the plate into the existing special license plate framework under RCW 46.18.200.
Who is affected
- Vehicle owners — People who own vehicles in Washington and want to display a special license plate supporting working forests; they must pay an initial $40 fee and $30 renewal fee, in addition to standard registration fees.
- Washington State Department of Licensing — Manages the program, collects fees, approves plate designs, and distributes funds to the Washington Tree Farm Program after deducting up to $12 for initial and $2 for renewal administrative costs.
- Washington Tree Farm Program — Receives funding from the Working Forests plate program to support sustainable forest management for small private forestland owners across over 400,000 acres.
- Private forestland owners — Small forest landowners who benefit indirectly through improved forest health, technical assistance, and conservation support funded by the program.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
Dedicated funding for the Washington Tree Farm Program supports sustainable management of over 400,000 acres of private forestland—enhancing forest health, carbon sequestration, watershed protection, and wildfire resilience, which benefits all Washingtonians through cleaner air, water, and climate mitigation.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds to Washington Tree Farm Program for small forest landowners); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'Working Forests license plates')Support for small forest landowners—including family timber farms and rural landowners—helps preserve long-term forest productivity, local timber jobs, and rural economies, especially in Eastern and Western Washington forested counties.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds to Washington Tree Farm Program); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'Working Forests license plates')The plate offers an optional, low-barrier way for residents to voluntarily contribute to forest conservation—making environmental stewardship visible and tangible, and potentially increasing public support for broader forest policy.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1 (Plate fee: $40 initial, $30 renewal); Sec. 3 (Admin cost deduction capped at $12/$2)Improved forest health through the program can reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires, protecting communities in the wildland-urban interface—especially important as climate change increases fire danger across the state.
Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds disbursed under contract with qualified nonprofits); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'qualified nonprofit organization')
Potential Concerns (4)
Vehicle owners must pay $70 total in plate fees (plus standard registration), with $14 going to admin costs and only $56 to the program—reducing effective funding per plate and imposing a direct out-of-pocket cost on participants, which may discourage uptake especially among lower-income households.
FinancialRef: Sec. 1 (Working Forests plate fee: $40 initial, $30 renewal); Sec. 3 (Deduction of up to $12 initial / $2 renewal for admin costs)The program funds technical assistance and conservation support for small forest landowners, but the $40/$30 fee structure likely limits participation to wealthier vehicle owners—meaning the program’s reach and impact on small forest landowners may be modest unless marketing and outreach significantly exceed baseline plate uptake.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds from Working Forests plate directed to Washington Tree Farm Program); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'Working Forests license plates')By requiring disbursement only through 501(c)(3) nonprofits, the bill excludes for-profit forest management firms and co-ops—potentially limiting innovation and cost-effective service delivery, especially in rural areas where nonprofits may lack capacity.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 3 (Funds disbursed under contract with qualified nonprofits); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'qualified nonprofit organization' requiring 501(c)(3) status)The Department of Licensing must absorb administrative oversight and verification responsibilities for the plate program without additional funding, potentially diverting staff time from other registration functions—especially burdensome for smaller county offices.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3 (Deduction of up to $12 initial / $2 renewal for admin costs)
Who Is Most Affected
Vehicle owners who choose the plate pay $70 total (plus standard registration) and gain a visible symbol of environmental support; lower-income households may find the fee prohibitive, while wealthier households may see it as a low-cost way to signal values.
The Department of Licensing must manage plate issuance and admin cost deductions with no added budget, but gains no new authority or staffing—operational burden is modest but non-zero.
Receives dedicated funding to support small forest landowners, but must compete for contracts and operate under strict disbursement rules—opportunity is real but not guaranteed, and scale depends on plate uptake.
Small private forest landowners (many of whom are family-run operations) benefit from technical assistance and conservation support, but only if the program attracts sufficient plate sales—uncertain without aggressive outreach.