Front license plate bill dies in committee
SPRINGFIELD — A proposed law that would have removed the front license plates on Illinois cars and trucks failed an early test Tuesday.
A House committee voted 4-2 against the measure, which would require drivers have just one plate in the rear of their vehicle.
State Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling, sponsored the measure and said it would save the state $800,000.
Law enforcement officials across the state, including the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Sheriff’s Association, were opposed to the measure.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, which oversees license plate assignments and distribution, also opposed the proposal.
“The front license plate plays a crucial role in being able to apprehend an individual that is wanted for a crime,” said Limey Nargelenas, director for the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
Mitchell contended, however, that the savings could lead to less layoffs being issued in Illinois, including in the state police department.
“It could definitely save jobs with the state police or even with the secretary of state,” Mitchell said. “If you can’t find $800,000 somewhere else and you have that hole in the budget, something has got to go.”
Nineteen states do not require a front license plate, including Indiana and Michigan.
Mitchell said he is going to talk to committee members and may bring up the measure again later in the legislative session.
The legislation is House Bill 4888.
Read the original article from Herald & Review.
2:51 pm
I wish they would do like the other 19 states like Florida and remove the front plates. If it can save $800000, I think it should be proposed in a different manner, like asking the people who are opposed to the bill if they are willing to lose their job for this bill, because they very well may have to if the state tries to save almost a million dollars by other means. I bet then they would agree, even those state troopers. I’ve never had a police officer get my license plate from the front and then proceed to pull me over. The red light cameras, as much as I hate them, can still capture images from the rear of the vehicles.
8:55 am
If the State of IL was run like a business, this would not have even been a question, it would have been passed and the 800,000 in savings would have taken place.
What’s more important, keeping LEO’s out there, keeping children in school because the state is so far behind and we are facings massive layoffs, or keeping a front license place that 19 other states function without?
9:50 pm
So do you have to have a front license plate in illinois as of 2010? im confused?
9:02 pm
Seems as if there would not be a question as to this ridicious law of the front license plate situation. If the state were really wanting to save money, approx.1 million dollars to be exact, doesnt seem to be any question about this stupid front lic. plate bill. It would be virtually impossible that the front plate on a car could help the Il. State Police apprrehend a car in a chase. After all in a chase would they not be behind the car they were chasing????
8:23 pm
If its about the money or lack there of why not keep it as is and raise the registration fee by $1.00. With the millions of vehicles on the road a lot more than 800,000 would be made. Did every one flunk math or something?
7:47 am
If you follow the logic of the LEO’s and other proponents of this silly law, then we should ban every driver from any of the nineteen states without a front plate from driving in Illinois, since any one of them could commit a crime and flee that crime driving in reverse!
3:44 pm
Front Plates or no front plates? I live in sothern IL and over half the “Sports cars” or just any cars in general dont have them anyway so its a law why? and all this talk that it helps officers….. ive never had my plates ran from the front the cops are always where BEHIND you. how likely are you going to read any plate number going past you @ 55-65 miles an hour you may get one or two numbers maybe thats it so all this is just crap. 800000-1000000 is alot of money to save and for them to turn this down is shocking i may be only 22 but in the times we’re in now we have to do what we can to save and when i say we i mean as a state. the house needs to relize this. and the cops need to relize the word BUDGET cut.
10:16 am
It only goes to show where there’s will there’s a way. Keep on trying. – Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. – Mark Twain 1835 – 1910