Texas License Plate Law?????

[jimlongley]

Here is a request to the Attorney General for clarification. https://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/op ... 1014GA.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Interesting reading. Keep an eye on the AG website to see what the reply is.
My FIL says the police will probably keep enforcing the plate laws and let the courts figure it out. He thinks the AG will lean towards the regular class C traffic misdemeanor $200 fine but that the courts are of course not bound by the AGs opinion so it will likely be litigated somewhere.
The answer to the request will eventually be posted here:
https://www.oag.state.tx.us/opin/opindex.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks to me as though he is requesting that Attorney General to correct his proofreading error and render enacted legislation moot.

I see it as just the opposite. The $200.00 fine was part of the statute since 1934, and such a fine definition is a normal part of many other statute, therefore its elimination must have been purposeful rather than an oversight.

He says he was the sponsor of the legislation and it was not his intent to eliminate the fine, but that does not mean that he authored the legislation, or that he even read it before he agreed to sponsor it. I would like to hear from the original author.

[bayouhazard]

I see it as just the opposite. The $200.00 fine was part of the statute since 1934, and such a fine definition is a normal part of many other statute, therefore its elimination must have been purposeful rather than an oversight.

I agree. Either it's intentional or he's too incompetent to be allowed to hold office.

If the governor or AG can fix mistakes, I say they should fix the mistake of not passing campus carry before they even think about touching this.

[XnTx]

No front license plates on any cars for last 10 years. For those that want, there is a screw in bracket that screws into the hidden tow hook hole on many cars front bumpers. They are pricey and ugly, but no holes drilled in your bumper.

[tbrown]

19 days

[rm9792]

I have seen some nice hideaway units for show cars that were nice and not pricey. I had actually been shopping those lately. Was gonna wire it to open and close with the ignition. Slides away under bottom of the bumper like those radios with flip out screens.

[TLE2]

you have to PASS the legislation so you can know what's in it!

Who let Pelosi in here?!

[speedsix]

...to be entirely fair...the law says what it SAYS...NOT what they wanted it to say...any more than what WE wanted it to say...

[jmorris]

All you are doing is uglying up your dash.

I agree, but the front plate has to be displayed, its the law , but the law doesn't specify it must be on the bumper This would probably be a judgment call by the officer who pulls me over.

I see so many cars without the front plate its ridiculous. But, I did have a friend recently get a $200 fine recently.

She's too pretty to put holes in the bumper.

I did some research and I stand corrected. I had asked several officers and got the same response from them years ago, has to be on front of the car.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals made it official in September 2010. Must be on the front bumper. Unless this law goes into effect of course.

http://justiceforyall.blogspot.com/2010 ... cense.html

[Scott in Houston]

FYI, no front plate has been a fix-it ticket for years. I never put on my front plate with my sports cars (they're not daily drivers). It's hideous looking on certain ones, and I've been rolling the dice.
Several times, I've been given warnings, and 2 times I was given a ticket. If you affix the plate, and show that you've corrected the issue, the ticket will be dropped with no fine nearly every time.

[jmoney]

I got stopped once for not having that front plate like 3 years ago. I had been in a car accident and never got the new plate installed. State trooper must have some incredible vision considering I was driving 70mph in heavy traffic. He was really friendly though, just wanted to know why I was traveling from new braunfels, and then told me what to do to get a new plate. Gave me a written warning so I had something to show other cops.

I'm in oklahoma at the moment where they don't have that law. They also don't have a state inspection so everyones turn signals and brake lights are broken

[AEA]

So........
What's the status now? Can we legally remove the front plates now?

[MadMonkey]

I was in DFW for about 4.5 years with no front plate on my Miata, and got pulled over quite a bit (unfortunately. Hard to keep up with stickers on 2 vehicles ). No officer EVER mentioned it.

Then I moved to Austin, and the day after I got there I got a ticket for no front plate

Oh well. I'm moving back to DFW when I get home

[tbrown]

So........
What's the status now? Can we legally remove the front plates now?

I think it's still technically required but there's no penalty as of 1/1/2012.

[knotquiteawake]

Texas Lawmakers Accidentally Omit 2 License Plate Law
Some media coverage on the issue finally.
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/traffic/tex ... law-011112" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, as I suspected:

Pertiz said officers will likely continue to issue tickets based on the original law and let the courts worry about it.

[jimlongley]

Texas Lawmakers Accidentally Omit 2 License Plate Law
Some media coverage on the issue finally.
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/traffic/tex ... law-011112" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, as I suspected:

Pertiz said officers will likely continue to issue tickets based on the original law and let the courts worry about it.

I think, although my vehicle is designed for two plates, and it has two, and they are the same, I would be sorely tempted to file an administrative harassment suit if an officer ticketed me based on the old law, especially if there was even one scintilla of proof that he was aware of the new law.