Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1153 creates Section 49-420T, Idaho Code, to establish a special license plate commemorating the USS Idaho SSN 799, a Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine. The plate will be available beginning January 1, 2026, for vehicles with a gross weight under 26,000 pounds. It will feature the text “USS IDAHO” across the top and “SSN 799 THE GEM OF THE FLEET” along the bottom, with an image of the submarine surfacing. The design must be approved by both the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee and the Idaho Transportation Department. Fees are set at $35 for initial issuance and $25 for annual renewal, with proceeds directed to the state highway account to cover program costs. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:
S1153 neither expands government nor conflicts with any principle of the Idaho Republican Party Platform. It establishes a voluntary, self-funding commemorative license plate that honors a naval vessel named after the state of Idaho. While it aligns with the platform’s support for patriotic recognition of military service, the bill does not advance any core platform goals such as limiting government, reducing taxes, or expanding individual liberty. Because it has no meaningful policy impact and functions primarily as a symbolic gesture, the bill receives a neutral rating.