​The Washington Wine Institute, in partnership with the Washington State Wine Commission, is working with prime sponsor Rep. Kelly Chambers (RPuyallup) and lawmakers in Olympia this session to create a specialty license plate. If approved, revenue from the plate would be donated to the Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) to support tourism efforts throughout the state.
“It would be thrilling to see a license plate to celebrate our state’s world-class wine industry,” said Steve Warner, President of the Washington State Wine Commission. “WTA is a perfect benefactor considering our 1,000+ wineries are a major tourism driver in the Northwest.”
The Washington wine industry accounts for $8.4B in-state economic impact including 36,500 related jobs and $2.4B in wine revenue. In 2018, an estimated 2.6 million people visited wineries across the state.
The Washington Wine Institute is currently collecting the 3,500 signatures needed for a new specialty plate as part of the approval process. Click here to sign the petition to push the wine plate forward.

​The apple of Washington's agricultural eye may soon adorn thousands of cars across the state.
The Washington Apple Commission is proposing a specialty license plate to celebrate Washington apples. Apples are the state’s leading agricultural commodity, the commission says. Buying the new license plate would support the Washington Apple Education Foundation, which mentors and gives scholarship training to college-bound young people from farmworker families. 
“Funds generated through tis endeavor will help driven students from tree fruit communities attend college and successfully graduate with a career plan,” says WAEF Executive Director Jennifer Witherbee said in a statement.
State Sen. Brad Hawkins (R), who represents Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties, will be introducing the bill to legislation in January. “I’m a big supporter of Washington apples and believe this bill will bring awareness to the industry and help raise money for local scholarships," the senator said.
The design would need 3,500 signatures of support in order to be considered. Funds would send ag-industry students to college.

Those specialized license plates with the Seattle Seahawks logo proved a monster hit in 2014.

Fans of the world champions bought 13,398 of them through mid-December to make it the second most popular specialty plate in Washington, according to a report delivered to state lawmakers Wednesday.

Only Washington State University sold more, 19,690, with the Law Enforcement Memorial plate ranking third with 10,705 followed by the University of Washington at 8,601, the Department of License report shows.

Washington now offers 47 different special designs and there are 121,000 specialty plates currently registered with the state.

Proceeds from license plate sales benefit public and private universities, nonprofits and certain state-run programs. In 2014, hundreds of thousands of dollars were generated for college scholarships, wildlife management and services for families of fallen police officers.

Sales began in January 2014 for the Seahawks plate as well as one for the Seattle Sounders FC.

Two new plates went on sale Jan. 2. One benefits scholarship programs at Seattle University and the other supports breast cancer screenings and follow-up tests for women with limited or no insurance through the state Department of Health’s Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program.