Personalized license plates, as used in this chapter, means license plates that have displayed upon them the registration number assigned to the vehicle or camper for which such registration number was issued in a combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the owner of the vehicle or camper in accordance with this chapter.

[1975 c 59 § 1; 1973 1st ex.s. c 200 § 2.]

NOTES:

     Personalized license plates -- Legislative declaration: "It is declared to be the public policy of the state of Washington to direct financial resources of this state toward the support and aid of the wildlife resources existing within the state of Washington in order that the general welfare of these inhabitants of the state be served. For the purposes of *this chapter, wildlife resources are understood to be those species of wildlife other than that managed by the department of fisheries under their existing jurisdiction as well as all unclassified marine fish, shellfish, and marine invertebrates which shall remain under the jurisdiction of the director of fisheries. The legislature further finds that the preservation, protection, perpetuation, and enhancement of such wildlife resources of the state is of major concern to it, and that aid for a satisfactory environment and ecological balance in this state for such wildlife resources serves a public interest, purpose, and desire.

     It is further declared that such preservation, protection, perpetuation, and enhancement can be fostered through financial support derived on a voluntary basis from those citizens of the state of Washington who wish to assist in such objectives; that a desirable manner of accomplishing this is through offering personalized license plates for certain vehicles and campers the fees for which are to be directed to the state treasury to the credit of the **state game fund for the furtherance of the programs, policies, and activities of the state **game department in preservation, protection, perpetuation, and enhancement of the wildlife resources that abound within the geographical limits of the state of Washington.

     In particular, the legislature recognizes the benefit of this program to be specifically directed toward those species of wildlife including but not limited to song birds, protected wildlife, rare and endangered wildlife, aquatic life, and specialized-habitat types, both terrestrial and aquatic, as well as all unclassified marine fish, shellfish, and marine invertebrates which shall remain under the jurisdiction of the director of fisheries that exist within the limits of the state of Washington." [1975 c 59 § 7; 1973 1st ex.s. c 200 § 1. Formerly RCW 77.12.175.]

     Reviser's note: *(1) The term "this chapter" refers to chapter 77.12 RCW, where this section was originally codified, pursuant to legislative directive, as RCW 77.12.175. It was subsequently decodified by 1980 c 78 § 32.

     **(2) References to the "state game fund" and "game department" mean the "state wildlife fund" and "department of wildlife." See note following RCW 77.04.020. The "state wildlife fund" was renamed the "state wildlife account" pursuant to 2005 c 224 § 4 and 2005 c 225 § 4.