SPRINGFIELD (Illinois News Network) — Illinois drivers would only need one license plate under terms of a bill moving forward in Springfield.
House Bill 1623 would allow motorized vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, trailers, semi-trailers, motorized pedal cycles or truck tractors to only install one license plate, allowing for a reduced cost to the state.
“It would save us money,” said state Rep. Allen Skillicorn, R-East Dundee, who is championing the bill, said. “It would save us $800,000 a year because we’d be able to cut our license plate production in half.”
The price to produce the license plates would move from $3.20 to $2.60, but that would not reduce the cost for vehicle owners.
The bill is gaining support from both Illinois citizens and car dealerships.
“The car dealerships are very much in favor of it because it saves time and money installing the plate,” Skillicorn said. “But mostly it’s citizen-driven.”
Criticism for the bill considers the ability for police officers to identify vehicles by both a front and back license plate. Skillicorn said that’s not the case with modern police technology.
“Nowadays, police are usually using automatic scanners so they can electronically do that and not have to manually punch in numbers anymore, so that alleviates some of the need.”
With one license plate, drivers could potentially get more miles to the gallon from improved aerodynamics.
“A lot of cars are more aerodynamic nowadays, and also there’s a lot of people, a lot of owners that like the look without having the plate,” Skillicorn said.
To date, 19 states and Puerto Rico have implemented a single license plate law, including the neighboring state of Tennessee.
