LANSING, Mich. — What’s black and blue and read all over?
The last part may be a stretch, but a Michigan lawmaker would like to see black license plates and blue license plates stage a comeback.
“Any Michigander who grew up here in the 80s and 90s remembers the simple, iconic design of the license plates during those eras,’’ said state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who introduced a bill to give the legacy plates a limited, return engagement.
The black license plate was used in Michigan between 1979 and 1983 while the blue license plate was in use from 1983 through 2007.
They’re now relegated to garage walls, basements and the occasional bar, where nostalgia and retro beer are in.
McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, touts the legacy plates as a way to “celebrate our unparalleled car culture’’ while also helping to fix Michigan’s battered roads without raising taxes.
Under her plan, Michigan drivers could buy the retro license plates for an added fee of $100. Revenue generated from that fee would go towards the state’s transportation fund, and ultimately used to fix the state’s roads, McMorrow said in a news release.
A similar bipartisan bill was introduced last fall but did not advance before the legislative session ended.
The concept is not unprecedented.
California, McMorrow says, approved similar legislation in 2014. It brought back the 1960s-era black plate with gold lettering, which was a staple of the muscle car era.
A news release from McMorrow’s office says the California plate became the most popular specialty plate offered, generating millions of dollars in additional revenue for California.
Michigan since 1956 has issued historic and authentic license plates for antique vehicles used in parades, fairs, car shows and other events.
McMorrow’s Senate Bill No. 45 has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
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