AZ - Bill would make license plate covers illegal

[StlouisX50]

Bill would make license plate covers illegal
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Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services

You’ve probably seen them. You may actually have one. Now, state lawmakers are moving to make it crystal clear that those plastic lenses that fit over your license plate are illegal.

The covers have gained popularity in recent years with the spread of photo radar and red-light cameras. The systems count on being able to document a violation and send a citation to the registered owner. If the license plate can’t be read, there’s no one to whom the ticket can be sent.

That annoyed Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix.

“At the end of the day, people are putting these plastic coverings on for one purpose, and that is to skirt the law,’’ he said.

Cheuvront succeeded Tuesday in attaching an amendment to unrelated legislation about the state Department of Transportation to spell out that it would be illegal to apply any covering to a license plate “that obscures from any angle the numbers, characters, year validating tabs or name of the jurisdiction issuing the plate.’’

The idea, now part of HB2250, drew derision from Sen. Chuck Gray, R-Mesa. He said the proposal is unnecessary because state law already requires that license plates be “clearly legible.’’

“If your plate is obscured for whatever reason, whether it’s paint from a painter’s truck who has spilled paint, whether it’s too much mud from mud bogging or whether it’s a clear plastic plate that’s no longer clear, it’s already illegible,’’ he said.

That’s true, according to Sgt. Harold Sanders of the state Department of Public Safety. Sanders said DPS officers sometimes stop motorists and ticket them solely because a license plate cover makes their plate unreadable.

He could not immediately say how many citations have been issued, but acknowledged that the number is far less than the number of cars on Arizona roads with those plastic covers.

Sanders said one reason more tickets are not being issued is that some of what is being sold to Arizona motorists, both at stores and through the Internet, just doesn’t work.

“A lot of the stuff is bogus,’’ he said, saying his department has the photo radar photos to prove that, cover or not, the cameras can read the license plate.

Much of Tuesday’s debate revolved around the merits of photo radar, particularly in light of a directive by Gov. Janet Napolitano to have DPS deploy fixed and mobile speeding cameras throughout the state.

Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said that was done without specific permission from the Legislature.

Gubernatorial press aide Jeanine L’Ecuyer, however, said Napolitano is on firm legal ground.

[Maestro]

I find this kind of funny since the people who make these photo systems claim that there is no cover today that blocks the cameras ability to take a picture even Mythbusters claimed they do not work.

So why pass a law that specifically targets plate covers and claim the reason people are using them is due to the fact people are using them to avoid get caught by camera systems. Hell my dad had one on his car since the 80's long before photo systems were around.

It sounds like there must be ones out there that actually work and the town Phoenix has been missing out on the expect revenue.

So either the plate covers do not work and you do not need this law or the camera system and Mythbusters has been lying to the world.

Hey but this does not outlaw the shark fin which probably works really well and it is legal in all sense of the laws

[Nighthawk243]

Screw the plate covers... I would have a plate flipper setup

[Lucky225]

It's all about getting a personalized plate with 0's and O's that are indistinguishable from each other. I'd link to the video but I lost the link :/

[bunny]

It's all about getting a personalized plate with 0's and O's that are indistinguishable from each other. I'd link to the video but I lost the link :/

that is awesome! but what happens if you get pulled over? will the officer notice?

[dpatel01]

I dont know how other states treat the O/0 situation on personalized plates but here if one applied for a plate that reads "ESC0RT" (with a zero)the DMV would send a plate reading "ESCØRT"

I've got tinted plate covers on my car and I've been warned numerous times, been ticketed and still have the covers on my car.

[Lucky225]

I dont know how other states treat the O/0 situation on personalized plates but here if one applied for a plate that reads "ESC0RT" (with a zero)the DMV would send a plate reading "ESCØRT"

I've got tinted plate covers on my car and I've been warned numerous times, been ticketed and still have the covers on my car.

In Texas O and 0 is indistinguishable on Personalized (FLAT) type plates. For Example, I have NOTAG and now N0TAG is *NOT* available and N0TAG *WAS* available before I ordered it. But, however you order it is what your actual plate is. For example, the Govenor's plate is SO-1, but S0-1 is available.... which is the next plate I plan on getting on renewal if I have the money for it. Cops will actually have to ask you if there is a duplicate plate, which one your plate is, but I assume duplicates are very rare.

[StlouisX50]

AZ Senate rejects bill banning license covers

Associated Press - May 21, 2008 3:34 PM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - The state Senate has rejected a bill that includes a ban on license plate covers that some vehicle owners use in an attempt to thwart photo radar cameras.

The ban had been added to a bill on personalized license plates.

Some senators oppose the ban but there also was opposition to a separate provision changing the process for creation of special license plates for organizations.

Some Republicans criticize that provision because they say it could undermine a court order requiring the state to allow a new "choose life" license plate.

Supporters for banning covers and substances that obscure license plates say it would help law enforcement in general.