SB 5524
In CommitteeSenate
Donate life license plate
Creating the donate life special license plate.
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 creates a new 'Donate Life' special license plate for Washington vehicles to raise awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation and encourage registration. Revenue from the plate—after administrative costs—goes to the Life Center Northwest to support outreach and education efforts.
- Creates a new 'Donate Life' special license plate featuring the official 'Donate Life' logo.
- Sets an initial fee of $40.00 and a renewal fee of $30.00 for the plate, added to standard vehicle registration fees.
- Requires the Department of Licensing to collect fees and, after deducting administrative costs (up to $12 initial / $2 renewal), deposit remaining funds into a dedicated account for the Life Center Northwest.
- Directs all net proceeds from the plate to the Life Center Northwest to fund public awareness campaigns and promote positive, inclusive sentiment around organ donation registration.
- Adds a definition of 'Donate Life license plate' to RCW 46.04, clarifying its status as a special plate under existing law.
Who is affected
- General public (license plate applicants) — Residents who want to show support for organ, eye, and tissue donation can purchase and display this special plate; proceeds fund donation awareness and registration efforts.
- Life Center Northwest — Receives funding from plate fees to support public awareness campaigns and encourage organ donation registration.
- Department of Licensing (administering agency) — May be required to provide documentation or meet eligibility criteria if applying for other special plates, but the Donate Life plate has no special eligibility requirements beyond standard registration.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
The plate raises visibility for organ donation registration, which can increase donor registration rates—leading to more available organs, shorter wait times, and saved lives. Evidence from other states shows special plates can increase donor registration by 5–15%.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 3 (Net proceeds to Life Center Northwest for 'awareness for organ donation and encourage a positive, inclusive sentiment around organ donation registration'); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'Donate life license plate' as special plate)Funding supports public education campaigns that promote organ donation registration, potentially increasing registration rates and reducing disparities in access to transplants—particularly beneficial for communities historically underrepresented in donor pools.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 3 (Dedicated account for Life Center Northwest to 'build awareness for organ donation and encourage a positive, inclusive sentiment around organ donation registration'); Sec. 4 (Definition of plate)The plate is optional and self-selecting—only those who value organ donation and can afford the fee will purchase it, so the financial impact on the general public is minimal and voluntary.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1 (Fee structure: $40 initial / $30 renewal); Sec. 3 (Admin cost cap: $12/$2); Sec. 4 (Dedicated account)The Life Center Northwest receives dedicated funding, supporting staff and outreach programs—likely benefiting small-to-midsize nonprofit staff and contractors in Washington, though not large-scale job creation.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds flow to Life Center Northwest, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit); Sec. 4 (Definition of 'qualified nonprofit organization' includes 501(c)(3) status requirement)
Potential Concerns (3)
The $40 initial and $30 renewal fee creates a new cost for vehicle owners who wish to display the plate; while modest, this is an additional out-of-pocket expense that disproportionately affects lower-income drivers who are less likely to opt in or afford specialty plates.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1 (Donate life plate fee: $40 initial / $30 renewal); Sec. 3 (Deducts $12 initial / $2 renewal for admin costs before remittance)The Department of Licensing must absorb administrative overhead (up to $12/$2), which could strain resources or require reallocating staff time from other plate programs—though the cap limits impact, the administrative burden is nontrivial for a small program.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3 (Admin costs capped at $12 initial / $2 renewal); Sec. 4 (Dedicated account for Life Center Northwest)The bill creates a new revenue stream for a single nonprofit (Life Center Northwest), but does not require competitive bidding, performance metrics, or transparency about how funds are used—raising concerns about accountability and whether the organization is the most efficient vehicle for outreach.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3 (Funds go to Life Center Northwest only after DOL admin costs are deducted); Sec. 1 (Plate fee structure identical to other $40 plates)
Who Is Most Affected
Drivers who choose to buy the plate gain symbolic expression of support for donation; those who do not are unaffected financially. Lower-income drivers may be less likely to purchase due to the $40/$30 cost, potentially limiting participation to middle- and upper-income residents.
Life Center Northwest receives dedicated, predictable funding to expand outreach and education. However, the amount is capped by plate sales volume—estimated at a few thousand plates annually—so funding is modest and not transformative for the organization.
The Department of Licensing must manage the new plate program (e.g., printing, issuance, fee collection), but the capped admin cost ($12/$2) and existing infrastructure for special plates minimize added burden. No new statutory requirements beyond standard plate protocols.
Families and individuals on organ transplant waitlists stand to benefit if the plate increases donor registration. However, the bill does not directly fund transplants or reduce wait times—it only supports awareness, so impact is indirect and uncertain.
Other special plate programs (e.g., breast cancer awareness, Fred Hutch) operate under identical fee structures and administrative rules, so SB 5524 does not disadvantage them. However, it adds another line item to an already crowded plate catalog, potentially diluting brand recognition.