Texas Front License Plate Law Abolished (verified)

Kiaser · August 21st, 2005, 12:33 PM

The bill passed the house, was amended in the senate, sent back to the house (which rejected the amendments) and finally pushed back to the senate. If the senate approved the bill with more than 2/3rds majority it would have gone into effect immediately, however, since it didn't the bill will go into effect September 1st.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/7...t/HB01523I.HTM

I've also had three different state troopers verify that this bill has passed and will go into effect September 1st.

RoadKing · August 21st, 2005, 02:21 PM

Your attached bill states in goes "into effect September 1, 2003 "?

This is what I was told when I tried to follow up on this issue with Steve Polunsk at TxDOT Legislative Affairs Office.

"Historically, law enforcement has opposed single license plates as a detriment to being able to identifying lawbreakers. Legislative histories and records are generally available at this link: http://www.lrl.state.tx.us. The provision was added to House Bill 3540, 78th Legislature, Regular Session, in committee and was in the bill when it passed the House but was not in the bill when it came out of committee in the Senate. I don't remember any testimony on this particular point but there could have been."

I hope like hell this really passed, please clarify the date issue with your attachment. Thanks

viper spray · August 21st, 2005, 02:57 PM

I found this , but it says Nov. 1st 2005 :

ARTICLE 9. REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF LICENSE PLATES ISSUED
SECTION 9.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation
Code, is amended by adding Section 502.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.010. ISSUANCE AND DISPLAY OF LICENSE PLATE. (a)
Notwithstanding anything in this code to the contrary, including
Section 502.180, the department shall issue only one license plate
for attachment at the rear of the vehicle for which the plate is
issued.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this code to the contrary,
including Section 502.404(a), a person is entitled to operate on a
public highway a vehicle that displays only one license plate if the
plate is attached at the rear of the vehicle. A person may operate
on a public highway a vehicle that displays two license plates if
both plates were assigned by the department for the registration
period as a set of plates.
(c) In any provision of this code that relates to the
issuance or display of "license plates," "plates," or a "set of
plates," the term means only one license plate.
SECTION 9.02. The change in law made by this article
regarding the issuance of license plates by the Texas Department of
Transportation applies only to the issuance of license plates by
the department for a registration period beginning on or after the
effective date of this article. For a registration period that
begins before the effective date of this article, the department
shall issue license plates as required by the law in effect
immediately before the effective date of this article, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 9.03. This article takes effect November 1, 2005.

The website is:

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-b...LLSUFFIX=03540

Ripper02 · August 21st, 2005, 03:42 PM

Sweet , about time too!!!!!

**getbit** · August 21st, 2005, 04:43 PM

just got a warning for no plate here is Austin.

Kiaser · August 22nd, 2005, 12:38 AM

whoops wrong one, viper spray found the link

GTS Dean · August 22nd, 2005, 07:38 AM

I've owned and driven a Viper in Texas for 12 years, logging a total of over 40,000 miles and have never once been hassled over no front plate. As a matter of fact, I've only received one moving violation, and that wasn't until 2 years ago.

Kiaser · August 22nd, 2005, 07:06 PM

I've been hassled once, but only owned the car for a year... It was in a small town (less than 600 population).

viper spray · August 22nd, 2005, 07:40 PM

DPS writes tickets around here all the time for no front plate. I beat mine by going to court with pics of mine on the front with a homemade mount. The judge liked it that I took the time to fix the lack of a factory stock mount problem. I yanked it off after that.

**RockStar** · August 22nd, 2005, 08:19 PM

I've been hassled here twice in the last 2 months up here. Neither one gave me a ticket, but both gave me stern warnings that if they saw me again that they wouldn't be as nice about it.

I broke down and went with JonB's rubber front late mount. It looks ok, and it gets them off of my back.