Assembly Bill 1091 seeks to honor the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa by introducing specialty license plates to fund California’s agricultural lands and open spaces.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California Assemblymember is looking to honor the advocacy of the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa by pushing for a way to raise money for agricultural lands through license plates.
Assembly Bill 1091 would allow 8-character license plates and would create a voluntary specialty plate program. Revenue from the program would go toward open spaces, agricultural lands, fairs, and recreational activities.
This has long been a policy that LaMalfa has pushed for, even back to his days in the California Legislature, after funding for the Williamson Act, agricultural lands, and county fairs was cut in the state’s budget.
Republican James Gallagher has also tried several times to get the bill signed into law rememerbing how LaMalfa would call him and ask about the license plates
“It’s very in line with Doug and his personality. Doug loved cars, you know, especially classic cars,” Gallagher said. “I think he probably had some ideas of things that he would put if he had eight letters, that what he would put on his plate, but also knew that it would be something that could help support our rural communities.”
The specialized license plates will carry an annual $38 fee, with the funds deposited into the Natural and Agricultural Open Space and State Recreational Support Fund.
“It’s a revenue generator, and can help support things that are really vital to the agriculture and rural part of California,” Gallagher said.
The bill passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee with a 15-0 vote. It will now be heard in Appropriations
Gallagher announced Wednesday that he will run in the upcoming special election to fill the seat in Washington, D.C., vacated by Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s sudden death last week.
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