Georgia State student pushes bill to increase 'ghost plate' penalties
Drivers who disguise license plates could see bigger penalties soon
Drivers who try to disguise their license plates could soon face major penalties. The so-called "ghost plates" have increasingly become a problem for law enforcement. State lawmakers now want to increase the fines and even add jail time for offenders.
ATLANTA - As a fourth-year student at Georgia State University, Shaun Cunningham is already making a difference at the state level.
Cunningham is an intern for state Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, this legislative session and was the driving force behind a bill to increase penalties for what are known as "ghost plates."
"A ghost plate is where someone tries to obfuscate or hide their license plate," explained Sen. Albers. "It could be done with some type of a cover, extreme tinting, or even using products that when light shines out it turns to something you can't read anymore."
In a committee hearing, Sen. Albers told fellow lawmakers that the problem is getting worse.
"I feel like almost every single time I'm out in the streets, if I'm on the road for five minutes, I see these plates, and oftentimes, they're attached to vehicles that are speeding, driving recklessly, and I figured that there has to be some laws on the books for this," said Cunningham.
So, Cunningham did the research and worked with legislative counsel to draft the "Eliminating Ghost Plates Act." The bill updates the state's law to define ghost plates and increases the penalties for offenders.
Anyone convicted for the first time would have to pay a fine of $250. A second offense would result in a $500 fine and a third conviction would mean a $750 fine and at least 15 days in jail. Anyone convicted a fourth time would have their vehicle declared as contraband and subject to forfeiture.
The House Motor Vehicles Committee approved the bill Thursday and Sen. Albers hopes it will be on the House floor for a full vote sometime next week. The Senate has already approved the measure.