Sales of a Seattle Storm license plate could start October 1 with proceeds going to youth leadership and sports programs.

SEATTLE — The WNBA Champion Seattle Storm will likely soon have a Washington state license plate of their own.

The Washington State Senate voted 47-1 Tuesday to authorize the sale of Storm-branded plates as a way to raise money for youth leadership and sports programs.

“In the spirit of Women's History Month to advance an issue of gender equity we have many license plates commemorating our men's sports teams but as of yet do not have one for our champion women's teams, so I am so excited to be sponsoring this bill to create a license plate for Seattle Storm,” Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, said on the floor.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, was the lone no vote. He did not give a floor speech about his opposition.

Storm players Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart both tweeted about the result.

“Really, Mark?” wrote Bird with an emoji.

“Nice one Mark” tweeted the WNBA MVP Stewart, also adding an emoji.

He said that the custom, specialty license plates have “proliferated,” and his “constituents have other interests besides creating license plates.”

The state Department of Licensing offers 60 different special design plates with various benefactors. People can purchase eight different university plates, for example, and spend money to buy plates that support issues like parks, the environment, or breast cancer. There are also Mariners, Seahawks, and Sounders plates.

“There are other efficiencies within transportation,” said Schoesler, who was also the lone no vote Tuesday on legislation for a San Juan Islands-related plate.

He said his concern had nothing to do with the WNBA champs. When asked if he was a women’s basketball fan, Schoesler said “not particularly, but I’m not particularly a men’s basketball fan either.”