SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 672

WHEREAS, The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the first license plate issued by the State of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Introduced in 1917, state-issued license plates were originally made of sheet iron and featured embossed numbers painted white on a dark blue background, with the abbreviation "TEX" on the right-hand side; before that time, Texans were responsible for obtaining their own license plates, which could be either homemade or purchased from such places as saddle and blacksmith shops; and

WHEREAS, The state prison system began manufacturing license plates in 1935, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice estimates that by 2016, inmates had created some 650 million plates; in 1965, the Texas Highway Department, now known as the Texas Department of Transportation, started offering personalized vanity plates to the public for an additional fee; and

WHEREAS, As technology advanced through the decades, so did the manufacture of Texas license plates; the Texas Department of Transportation began producing digitally printed, vinyl-covered aluminum plates in 2009, and three years later, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled the current general-issue plate, which utilizes black type on a white background and holographic security features; the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles now offers 420 plate designs in addition to the general scheme, including many that honor military veterans; and

WHEREAS, Over the past century, as the automobile industry has evolved to become a vital sector of the United States economy and a dominant influence on both American society and the national landscape, vehicle license plates have become a ubiquitous, critical element of American life; their sale generates revenue for a variety of state programs, and their role as identifying markers provides essential aid to law enforcement officers in the performance of their work; incidental to their primary function, the plates now have a hold on the popular consciousness and have become collector's items, a means of personal expression, and even decorative features, notably in countless roadside diners; and

WHEREAS, A humble, unobtrusive object, the license plate serves a number of purposes, from the essential to the whimsical, and it is indeed fitting that this milestone anniversary be recognized; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commemorate the centennial of the first state-issued license plate in the Lone Star State. Nichols

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 25, 2017.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate