D.C. Council considers LGBTQ Pride license plates
D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large) reintroduced a bill this week calling for the creation of “LGBTQ Pride” license plates for motor vehicles licensed in the city for a small annual fee that will help fund the city’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
Eight other Council members joined White as co-introducers of the bill, indicating it has at least nine members of the 13-member Council as supporters of the bill.
The legislation, called the Pride Plates Amendment Act of 2023, states that, “The Mayor shall design and make available for issue one or more LGBTQ Pride motor vehicle tags demonstrating support for the LGBTQ community.” The bill calls for amending the existing law that created the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs to create an Office of LGBTQ Affairs Fund.
The revenue received by the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles from a fee to be charged for the LGBTQ Pride tags will be deposited into the newly created Office of LGBTQ Affairs Fund, according to the bill. “Money in the Fund shall be used by the Office to support programs that promote the welfare of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community,” the bill states. “A resident ordering an LGBTQ Pride tag shall pay a one-time application fee and a display fee each year thereafter,” the bill declares. “The application fee shall be $25, and the display fee shall be $20, or such other amount that may be established by the Mayor by rule,” the bill says.
