May 15, 2012

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How Highway Designations and Specialty Plates Happen

There are a couple aspects of state government you probably do not hear a lot about, and that is naming highways for people and how specialty license plates become reality. Both processes are relatively easy to do. Fortunately, the Legislature has removed politics and the states costs from the process in the last few years. As outlined on MoDOTs website, folks must complete an application if an organization or an individual is seeking a bridge or highway designation on Missouris state highway system honoring an event, place or organization. Highway designations can also represent an individual who has been deceased for two years or more. The applicant should describe the bridge or segment of highway for which designation is sought and the proposed name of the bridge or relevant portion of highway. The application needs to include the name of at least one current member of the Missouri General Assembly who will sponsor the bridge or highway designation, in addition to providing a list of at least 100 individuals signatures and their addresses of

those in the area of the proposed segment or bridge supporting the designation. No bridge or section of highway can be designated after more than one individual, event, place or organization. Each individual, event, place or organization shall only be eligible for one bridge or highway designation. The proposed memorial name may be subject to design limitation of the sign; there is only so much space available on the signs. Two signs are installed marking the beginning and ending of each highway section or bridge. You can click here to get an application form, or you can call MoDOT to receive more information at 1-888-275-6636. In order to have a specialty license plate made, the sponsoring organization must submit the following items to the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) by June 30 in order for the specialty plate to be considered for approval the following year. The organization must also register with DOR as a non-profit group/entity. Those requesting the creation of a specialty plate would then need $5,000 to defray the cost for design, development, production and distribution of the plate, and programming the implementation of the specialty plate; a list of 200 potential plate purchasers; and the name of at least one current member of the Missouri General Assembly who is a "sponsor" of the plate. When the legislative session starts, DOR forwards the application, along with any written comments received, to the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight for review and approval. Actual production of the plate begins when DOR receives 200 completed applications and appropriate fees. The organization will collect the applications, and when it has 200, forwards them to DOR for processing.

You can click here to see more of the rules that govern specialty license plates. We get a lot of requests for highway naming and specialty plates. While these programs are important to a lot of folks, these processes have created more time for the Legislature to focus on the economy and the budget and not on these issues. Senator Stouffer serves the counties of Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray, Saline, and a part of Clay. If you have questions or comments about this or any other issue, please call toll free (866) 768-3987 or by e-mail at bstouffer@senate.mo.gov.
bstouffer@senate.mo.gov | www.senate.mo.gov/stouffer State Capitol, Room 332, Jefferson City, MO 65101 | (866) 768-3987