New Texas law banning paper tags to take effect in 2025
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas lawmakers hear testimony on temporary tags as DMV rolls out new design
Law enforcement officers from departments across the state testified about the problem with fake paper plates. One cop said they busted a ring printing them off in a parking lot in Austin. The head of the Texas DMV believes his agency has come up with a solution, but the Grand Prairie police chief expressed his concerns.
DALLAS - Gov. Gregg Abbott signed a law that will eventually get rid of paper tags on vehicles.
Lawmakers pushed to ban them because they’re relatively easy to counterfeit and are commonly used in crimes.
In 2021, officials estimated at least 1.8 million fraudulent paper plates were on the roads in Texas.
Law enforcement officers from departments across the state testified about the problem. One cop said they busted a ring printing them off in a parking lot in Austin.
Paper Plates Problem: Texas lawmakers hear testimony on temporary tags as DMV rolls out redesign
Law enforcement officers from departments across the state testified about the problem with fake paper plates. One cop said they busted a ring printing them off in a parking lot in Austin. The head of the Texas DMV believes his agency has come up with a solution, but the Grand Prairie police chief expressed his concerns.
Grand Prairie Police Chief Daniel Scesney was a big supporter of the legislation because he said paper tags caused the death of one of his officers last year.
Officer Brandon Tsia died while attempting to pull over a Chevy Malibu with a fake paper license plate. He lost control of his squad car and crashed into a utility pole.
Driver pleads guilty to chase that killed Grand Prairie police officer
22-year-old Colbie Hoffman was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday morning for the chase that killed Officer Brandon Tsai.
That same fictitious tag had been swapped to different vehicles at least 200 times, Chief Scesney said.
"I think the paper tag is a problem in Texas of pandemic proportions," Scesney told FOX 4 in May.
'It cost a cop his life': Police chief rails against fake paper license plates in Texas
Grand Prairie's police chief called on Texas lawmakers to make changes following the death of an officer earlier this week.
In December, state-licensed car dealers began issuing redesigned paper tags from the Texas DMV.
The agency noted that certain security elements were modified so they cannot be digitally replicated.
The new law goes a step further. Auto dealers will transition to using metal plates as temporary license plates.
It is set to take effect in the summer of 2025.