I think you guys are getting off relatively easily in WA for not having the front plate.
At least you get the fix-it option. I moved back to Vancouver, B.C. a few months ago, and kept getting pulled over left and right for no-front-plate. The first 3 times (and that's 3 times in 3 months), my car still had WA plates so they weren't able to do anything about it since it was out of their jurisdiction. Then I got my BC plates and got pulled over again. $128 and NO fix-it option.
It's $128 a pop every time they catch it. Decided it wasn't worth it and bought the RHO bracket and put the front plate on. When I was living in Bellevue, I never got pulled over for NFP - not a single time.
Didn't care for the RHO bracket much at first, but I've tried a few mounting positions and think I've finally found one that looks best on the car. I do need to re-tighten one mounting bolt once every 2~3 weeks or so though.