attention Texas owners-front license plate bill
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From: Austin
I found this at http://www.sccaforums.com and http://www.miataforum.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000193.html
Originally posted by Al Hanna:
Texas Residents! - Support a Bill to eliminate front license plates
If you are interested in seeing the law that requires front license plates amended, please read on. I am posting this on the following UBB's:
Lone Star Corvette Club
C5 Registry
Corvette Forum
C5 Forum
Modern Muscle Car Net
Viper Club
Mustang Corral Net
LS1.com
SCCA Forum
If you are affiliated with any other boards, please quote or reference this information, then post here to let us know where. We need to reach out to all car clubs in Texas for support (this is not just about Corvettes). I'm sure our friends in the F-Body, Mustang, Viper, BMW, Porsche, Supra, RX-7, Miata, & other clubs would be just as interested.
There isn't much time, since the deadline to introduce the bill would be March 1st. That could get moved up due to redistricting planned this session.
This Bill was introduced as long as 8 years ago by then Representative John Sharp. Representative Jim Horn later reintroduced it. The state estimated $5M a year in savings by eliminating the need for front license plates. Be aware that DPS is not the only opposition. 3M, the company that makes the reflective coatings on the plates, has a strong lobby in Austin.
If you search here for 3M: Verizon SuperPages
Then, select the entry for Reflective Materials & Products
You find:
3M
Highway 377 South
Brownwood, TX 76801
Plug that address in the House Representative search URL to find who supports the district and you find Representative Bob Turner. Follow the link on his name and you will also find Committee Assignments. Note that Representative Turner is the Chair of the House Committee on Public Safety. Just a guess, but I suspect there would be interest in supporting 3M, as well as DPS.
If we can demonstrate sufficient support for Bill #535 (last introduced by Representative Suzanna Hupp), we may be able to convince another Representative to carry the Bill this session (Representative Hupp & Farabee will not do so). I will pursue having the Representative for my district (Brian McCall) do so, but I need to provide some supporting documentation. I will work to get a copy of the report documenting the estimated fiscal savings in Texas. It would be beneficial to provide information on why other states chose to pass their own versions of this Bill. If you have buddies in a state that does not require front plates, please ask them to contact their own representatives and learn why, then forward the information back to us. The Bill's history, from the last session is here:
Bill History
Support should come in the form of email (first.last@house.state.tx.us), letters, & phone calls (whatever is most effective with your particular Representative). Please don't tell them how beautiful your car looks without a front license plate. This is about reducing costs to the state and helping keep our registration fees where they are now (don't get greedy and ask for a reduction or you'll undermine the argument).
We should each begin by contacting the House Representative for our districts (spoke with mine today).
Find Your House Representative
The Bill will also need a Senate sponsor, so contact your Senate Representative, as well.
Find Your Senate Representative
Once moved to a committee, the same support should be sent to all members. This went to the Transportation committee last time. They may not be the only committee involved.
Display Committee Members
If scheduled for a hearing, we need a special favor from the clubs in Austin, since presence at the hearing is helpful.
Is everyone up for this?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry I can't give you the direct link. It is in the SW Division section.
Peg
Originally posted by Al Hanna:
Texas Residents! - Support a Bill to eliminate front license plates
If you are interested in seeing the law that requires front license plates amended, please read on. I am posting this on the following UBB's:
Lone Star Corvette Club
C5 Registry
Corvette Forum
C5 Forum
Modern Muscle Car Net
Viper Club
Mustang Corral Net
LS1.com
SCCA Forum
If you are affiliated with any other boards, please quote or reference this information, then post here to let us know where. We need to reach out to all car clubs in Texas for support (this is not just about Corvettes). I'm sure our friends in the F-Body, Mustang, Viper, BMW, Porsche, Supra, RX-7, Miata, & other clubs would be just as interested.
There isn't much time, since the deadline to introduce the bill would be March 1st. That could get moved up due to redistricting planned this session.
This Bill was introduced as long as 8 years ago by then Representative John Sharp. Representative Jim Horn later reintroduced it. The state estimated $5M a year in savings by eliminating the need for front license plates. Be aware that DPS is not the only opposition. 3M, the company that makes the reflective coatings on the plates, has a strong lobby in Austin.
If you search here for 3M: Verizon SuperPages
Then, select the entry for Reflective Materials & Products
You find:
3M
Highway 377 South
Brownwood, TX 76801
Plug that address in the House Representative search URL to find who supports the district and you find Representative Bob Turner. Follow the link on his name and you will also find Committee Assignments. Note that Representative Turner is the Chair of the House Committee on Public Safety. Just a guess, but I suspect there would be interest in supporting 3M, as well as DPS.
If we can demonstrate sufficient support for Bill #535 (last introduced by Representative Suzanna Hupp), we may be able to convince another Representative to carry the Bill this session (Representative Hupp & Farabee will not do so). I will pursue having the Representative for my district (Brian McCall) do so, but I need to provide some supporting documentation. I will work to get a copy of the report documenting the estimated fiscal savings in Texas. It would be beneficial to provide information on why other states chose to pass their own versions of this Bill. If you have buddies in a state that does not require front plates, please ask them to contact their own representatives and learn why, then forward the information back to us. The Bill's history, from the last session is here:
Bill History
Support should come in the form of email (first.last@house.state.tx.us), letters, & phone calls (whatever is most effective with your particular Representative). Please don't tell them how beautiful your car looks without a front license plate. This is about reducing costs to the state and helping keep our registration fees where they are now (don't get greedy and ask for a reduction or you'll undermine the argument).
We should each begin by contacting the House Representative for our districts (spoke with mine today).
Find Your House Representative
The Bill will also need a Senate sponsor, so contact your Senate Representative, as well.
Find Your Senate Representative
Once moved to a committee, the same support should be sent to all members. This went to the Transportation committee last time. They may not be the only committee involved.
Display Committee Members
If scheduled for a hearing, we need a special favor from the clubs in Austin, since presence at the hearing is helpful.
Is everyone up for this?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry I can't give you the direct link. It is in the SW Division section.
Peg
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