Stopping fraudsters from selling temporary license plates is a top priority for lawmakers this week in Austin. Could it be the end of paper tags in Texas?
Sen. Bettencourt believes the current tags are too easy to reproduce and must be replaced with something more secure.
“We need to get out of the paper tag business because now, even if we close these dealers, a lot of these dealers are just inventing numbers and putting out false numbers,” Bettencourt told NBC 5 News. At Tuesday’s House Transportation Committee hearing, law enforcement officials are expected to testify about other tools they need to investigate the tag sellers.“I wish they would have all listened to law enforcement - a long time ago, years ago, and they wouldn't be in this situation,” said Tawny Solbrig.Tawny Solbrig wants the legislature to reinstate funding for special police units that used to investigate paper tag fraud in cities like Dallas.
In addition to resources for task forces to police tag fraud, law enforcement officials are expected to ask lawmakers for a long list of items including tougher penalties for people who sell counterfeit tags, additional funding for the DMV to hire more inspectors to check small dealers, resources for tougher background checks on dealer applicants and better police access to DMV data to investigate crimes.
The House and Senate are holding hearings under “interim charges” from the House Speaker and Lieutenant Governor, but legislation to deal with the paper tag problem cannot be introduced until the legislature is back in session in 2023.
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