House passes bill on specialty tags

A bill that would increase the cost to sponsor specialty license plates from the Department of Finance and Administration passed in the House on Monday.

Groups requesting such plates must now pay a fee to cover the cost of an initial order.

House Bill 1172, by state Rep. Justin Gonzales, R-Okolona, would extend that fee to cover revisions to the design of specialty plates, as well as the maintenance of a computer system used to design them.

Gonzales said the total cost to cover the introduction of a new plate is about $30,000. The bill will apply only to future license plate designs.