Vt. bill would remove front license plates

Vermont lawmakers are wrestling over the necessity of front license plates.

A Senate bill would drop Vermont's two-plate requirement and allow drivers to keep the commemorative "Vermont Strong" front license plates that raised money after Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011.  The House voted to keep two license plates and cancel Vermont Strong, overriding an executive order from Gov. Peter Shumlin that lets Vermonters use the commemorative plates indefinitely.

Lawmakers from the two chambers are expected to settle the dispute in a special committee.

• Shumlin allows Vermont Strong license plates to stay
• 'Vermont Strong' license plates good 2 more years

Michael Smith, director of operations at the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, said Gov. Phil Scott's administration is interested in using the one-plate plan to save about $200,000 each year. Registration fees would remain the same, but the state would spend less on buying and mailing plates.

"The governor supports single plates, so we support single plates," Smith said.

The Senate version of the bill would remove the requirement for a front license plate. Trucks that weigh more than 10,100 pounds and vehicles with vanity plates would continue to have two. The Senate has already booked the $200,000 savings in its budget and would use the money for town highway aid.

Law enforcement officials have raised concerns about the proposal. Bradley Curtis, acting division chief for the U.S. Border Patrol's Swanton Sector, argued that law enforcement agents need to be able to identify a vehicle from both directions.

Curtis told the House Transportation Committee that vehicles' rear license plates are often covered with snow, and relying on one plate could slow down traffic at the Canadian border.

The majority of U.S. states require two license plates, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks license plate laws. As of last year 31 states and the District of Columbia required both license plates, while 19 states required one plate.

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Contact April McCullum at 802-660-1863 or amccullum@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @April_McCullum. 
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