Thousands of license plates are now being ordered in hopes of addressing the acute shortage of license plates at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.<\/p>\n
According to Department of Public Safety Commissioner Edward Camacho, funds for the plates have been identified within the department to address the shortage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe we\u2019ve found money within the department,\u201d he said yesterday. \u201cWe\u2019ve identified the money, and various divisions are chipping in to meet the necessary amount.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camacho disclosed that about $5,000 was needed to order the new plates.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope to recoup the money from the owners of vehicles. They will buy the license plates and that money will go back to the department,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This developed soon after a new law was passed requiring all vehicles to display license plates at both the front and rear ends.<\/p>\n
Camacho said that due to the current unavailability of license plates, enforcing the law would not take effect until August 15.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m giving a month from [Thursday],\u201d he said. \u201cPeople are coming in and are claiming to have lost their plate, so they need a new pair. I am not going to burden operators, and I am giving them an extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed House Bill 14-18 into law on July 12 requiring the display of plates on both ends of all vehicles.<\/p>\n
“This requirement will greatly enhance the ability of our law enforcement officials to quickly identify vehicles and assist residents to recognize vehicles entering their private property,” Babauta said.<\/p>\n
For his part, Camacho praised the passage of the law, as it will prevent the sharing of registration stickers.<\/p>\n
The new law states that operating a vehicle that has no license plates on either rear or front sides is a misdemeanor, entailing imprisonment or fine.<\/p>\n
Rep. Claudio Norita, a former police major, introduced the bill, along with Reps. Jesus SN. Lizama, Janet U. Maratita, Crispin M. Ogo, and Ray N. Yumul.<\/p>\n
The bill states that the lack of license plates at the front or rear of vehicles was giving problems to the DPS, \u201ccreating difficulty in identifying fleeing vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also, Babauta suggested to the Legislature to come up with another bill that would seek to regulate the display of license plates on modified vehicles. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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