TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A proposal to eliminate the need to place yellow vehicle registration stickers on license plates has started to move in the Florida Legislature.
The House Government Operations Committee unanimously backed the measure (HB 841), which would have registration renewals recorded electronically.
“We’re going to save government money, which in turn will save taxpayer dollars,” said bill sponsor Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes.
A House staff analysis doesn’t put an economic impact figure on the bill but notes the Miami-Dade Tax Collectors Office estimated going digital would save the office $2.5 million annually to record registrations and renewals.
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The proposal was backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in December, when he tweeted “get it done!” to Fabricio.
Law enforcement uses the validation sticker to verify that a motor vehicle is legally registered. However, the staff analysis notes many law enforcement officers have the capability to verify motor vehicle registrations electronically using automated license plate recognition systems.
Currently, the registration period is 12 months, but an applicant may opt for an extended registration period of 24 months.
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The proposal has just one more committee appearance scheduled before reaching the floor.
The Senate version (SB 982) by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Homestead, has yet to appear before a committee.