New License Plate Design Proposed For PA

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania would get another specialty license plate under a proposal from two Pennsylvania state senators.

Katie Muth of Berks County and Carolyn Comitta of Chester County, say they plan to introduce legislation to commemorate the Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment.

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Adopted in 1971, the constitutional amendment states that “the people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.

"Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

The proposed legislation would require PennDOT to consult with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to design a special license plate to highlight the rights guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Environmental Rights.

"Pennsylvania is one of only three states that has guaranteed constitutional rights to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment," the senators wrote in a memo to colleagues seeking support for the impending bill.

"It is imperative that we highlight these inalienable rights and reaffirm our commitment to protecting our communities and our environment from industrial degradation and pollution."

If the proposed bill becomes law, the environmental plate would join the large number of specialty plates already in use in Pennsylvania. For example:

• Nearly 400 specialty organization plates have been issued.

• A persons with disabilities and four types of disabled veteran plates are available.

• More than 50 different types of military plates have been issued.

• Sixteen types of special fund plates are available.

• Personal plates also are available.