Millions of Texans are Lawbreakers Right Now!

Updates below.

Previously, I wrote about the 725 (750?) new laws the Texas legislature passed that went into effect on September 1. I missed one that's worth mentioning for it's stupidity.

Is any part of your car's license plate partially covered by a frame or any stickers? If it is, you're breaking the law, and don't be too surprised if a state trooper soon pulls you over.

One of my co-workers pointed this out to me in between exclaimations of "those damn idiots we've elected aren't doing their jobs!" I almost felt like telling him the actions of those idiots are based on the same principles that drove them to create and support other laws and regulation he supports.

DPS Trooper John Sampa explained, "If a bracket or some type of device obstructs the visibility of the license plate, meaning that it touches the letters, touches the numbers or alters the design of the plate, that gives an officer probable cause to make a traffic stop."

And give you a ticket with of fine of up to $200. The rationale behind this -- officers need to clearly see a license plate in case they have to investigate a potential suspect.

So I guess that makes most car dealerships accessory to criminal activity. They are probably the greatest single source of these illegal license plate frames on the road. Fine them, too! Fine them until they cease this despicable activity!

We went out on the road and saw lots of vehicles with illegal license plates. Some didn't even have a license plate on the front of the vehicle -- that's illegal, too.

Of all the bullshit, worthless, and ineffectual laws our state has in effect...these are merely of the common and mundane variety.

Driver Jane Rulfs didn't know she was breaking the law. "Well, it's the one that the dealer put on. ? I'll take it off."

Don't. Leave it one. In fact, use masking tape and cover up just the Texas flag. Write on the tape how utterly low you view the people who put this law into place. Demonstrate what you think of these kinds of laws. That's what I'm planning on doing.

More:

Senate bill 439 makes it illegal to add any reflective material, lights or emblems that alter the license plate or make it hard to read. DPS say's its a law, and you will be pulled over and cited.

Here's the relevant text of the bill, authored by Senator Jon Lindsay:

• 502.409. Wrong, Fictitious, or Unclean License Plate
  
  (a) A person commits an offense if the person attaches to or displays on a motor vehicle a number plate or registration insignia
  that:
  
  • (5) has letters, numbers, or other identification marks that because of blurring or reflective matter are not plainly visible at all times during daylight;
    
  • (6) has an attached illuminated device or [is a] sticker, decal, emblem, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on the plate or the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered; or
    
  • (7) has a coating, covering, or protective material that:
    
    • (A) distorts angular visibility or detectability; or
      
    • (B) alters or obscures the letters or numbers on the plate, the color of the plate, or another original design feature of the plate.

Yet another huge swath of Texan citizenry has been suddenly criminalized. Why? So people (but specifically the police) can ID car license plates. But the absurdly broad language of this law attacks just about everyone in the state with a license plate bracket...the vast majority of which don't affect the visibility of the information on the plate in any meaningful way.

Sgt. Waggener says it doesn't mean you're going to get stopped every time, but it is a violation and gives the police officer a reason to stop you.

Another reason for cops to harass us. Great.

To Mr. Lindsay, the jerks on the Infrastructure Development and Security Committee and Law Enforcement Committee that voted 9-0 in favor of the bill, the passive creeps in the House and Senate who voted for the bill, and that crummy bastard Rick Perry who signed it:

Fuck you.

UPDATE(12:45pm)
It just occured to me that trailer hitches could also be considered devices that obstruct the visibility of license plates. Why do we elect people who wish to do things like this to us???

UPDATE(1:40pm)
Regarding http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/pending/texasplate.asp...

The problem isn't that the law makes ALL brackets illegal (which is false), it's that the wording "...alters or obscures the letters, numbers, color, or original design features of the plate..." (my emphasis) is far too vague and easy to abuse. What's an "original design feature"? What "obscures the color"? You can bet some police officers will be using this law as a pretense to pull people over. That is what's wrong.

UPDATE(9/17/2003 5:55pm)
Much more here. I had a mini-debate with my father, a deputy sheriff in Comal County and have posted the contents.

UPDATED 2/15/2007 3:45pm
License Plate Frames Banned in Texas

Posted by Drizzten at September 15, 2003 11:01 AM