Most Oregonians buy the cheapest license plate, which is the one with the tree on it. But those who want to spend a little extra in support of a good cause have a number of alternatives. The popular salmon plate raises money for the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the state parks department. Meanwhile, Cycle Oregon and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance stand to gain from the new “share the road” plate. Oregon even offers plates that raise money for a national park (Crater Lake) and the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Fish, culture, bikes, water bodies: A state that issues plates in support of these surely would welcome one that raises money to combat child abuse. Or would it? In a word, nope.

Earlier this month, the Oregon House approved a bill that would create a “Keep Kids Safe” license plate. The bill’s primary sponsors are Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver, and Sen. Chris Telfer, R-Bend. Forty-five colleagues — about half the Legislature — have signed on, including Rep. Judy Stiegler, D-Bend. As you can see, House Bill 3121 has more than a little support.

And why not? Should it pass, Oregonians will have an opportunity to pay a voluntary tax of $16 per year. The revenue, minus administrative costs, would be distributed locally in proportion to plate sales, according to Whisnant’s office. The startup costs, meanwhile, would be covered by a donor identified by the Deschutes County Commission on Children and Families. In fact, the CCF came up with the idea for the plate, says Whisnant.

This sounds like a pretty good deal for everybody, yet the bill is effectively dead. Having cleared the House 57-3, it is stalled in the Senate Business and Transportation Committee, whose chair, Welches Democrat Rick Metsger, is performing last rites. Metsger has nothing against kids. Rather, says his staff, he objects to the creation of license plates with unique designs, which pose a problem for law-enforcement agencies. Thus, while Metsger refuses to give HB 3121 a hearing, he would like to make it easier for nonprofits to apply their logos to existing license plate designs, which would then resemble plates recognizing Oregon colleges and universities. To that end, Metsger has written an amendment to a different bill.

Whisnant acknowledges Metsger’s concerns. “But once you start having one or two” unique plates, he asks, “how do you say no?” And how is it that the Oregon Cultural Trust, Crater Lake and cyclists all deserve unique plates, but those who work to prevent child abuse do not? This double standard is dumb. Yet Metsger would rather preserve it than add a unique plate that would help people with a legitimate need.

Sure, relegating “Keep Kids Safe” to a sticker is better than nothing. But will as many people pay extra for a sticker plate? Whisnant doesn’t think so, and he’s probably right. People who spend extra on “cause” plates do so, in part, because they want to display their choices prominently.

Metsger’s aversion to unique plates does have its limits, though. Oregonians who want to help fund a history center at the state Capitol will be happy to know that he supports the resurrection of the old “Pacific Wonderland” license plate, which hasn’t been issued for decades. The fact that he’d like to limit the number to 25,000 sets (at $100 each) doesn’t make his inconsistency any easier to swallow.

Still, as Whisnant observes, “the people with the gavel rule.” And these days, Metsger’s holding the gavel.