Florida License Plates — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Lutsenko_Oleksandr
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida may mandate that cars in the state carry two license plates as part of a plan intended to assist authorities in apprehending hit-and-run drivers.
The “Lilly Glaubach Act,” named for a 13-year-old Tampa girl who was hit by a car while riding her bike home from school, would be a new law created by the bill (SB 92), which was submitted back in December.
In the event that a motorist is involved in an automobile accident, the bill would mandate that a motor vehicle repair business obtain a documented crash report from the client prior to repairing the vehicle. This is applicable if the projected cost of the repairs is $5,000 or more.
Investigators might utilize the information on the form to identify any hit-and-run drivers. It would include details about the client, the car, and a description of the damage.
According to state Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), who co-sponsored the bill, “this legislation seeks to deter hit-and-runs by increasing the accountability of motor vehicle repair shops while preventing individuals from getting work done under false pretenses.”
Gruters, however, raised a change to the bill in a Senate committee meeting this week that mandates drivers to show their license plates on the front and rear of their cars.
Florida would become one of 29 states that require two-way license plates if the rule were to be put into effect. According to Gruters, the modification may make it simpler for witnesses and investigators to identify hit-and-run cars.
“There are a lot of cameras out there as people are speeding away from these scenes, which is why they have two-way license plates,” Gruters said. “And the back of the plate isn’t always visible to those cameras.”
Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach), however, questioned Gruters about the possible expense of a new license plate for cars in Florida.
“Will residents of Florida now have to pay twice as much to obtain a new license plate?” Berman inquired.
“I always thought, ‘Well, you pay the registration price and you just pay twice,’ so we’re working on that. “You basically pay two plate fees,” Gruters said. “But no, the system requires you to pay a single registration fee and must obtain two license plates from the state.”
In the end, committee members unanimously supported the modification and the bill, which needs to be passed by another committee before a full Senate vote can consider it.
The bill will go into effect on July 1st if it is approved and signed into law. The House has also received a similar bill.
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Born and raised in South Florida, Krystal is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with professional writing experience at the collegiate and national news outlet levels. She’s a foodie who loves all things travel, the beach, & visiting new places throughout Florida.