Gov. Laura Kelly on Tuesday announced that her administration will halt production of a license plate design that created a storm of controversy over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Kelly promised a process to receive public input before selecting a final design, something she was criticized for not undertaking when the new plate design was rolled out last week.
“I promised to be a bipartisan governor, and I think we can all admit – I succeeded at bringing Kansans across the political aisle together in disliking this new license plate,” Kelly said in statement.
“I’ve heard you loud and clear. Elected officials should be responsive to their constituents, which is why we are adjusting the process so Kansans can provide direct input on our state’s next license plate,” she said.
For the record, the state said that the new plate – unveiled the day before Thanksgiving – displayed a wheat-yellow color in the background with black and midnight blue text.
However, it was compared to University of Missouri colors – or for that matter the colors at Wichita State, Fort Hays State or Emporia State. There’s even been a comparison to the Pittsburgh Steelers colors.
Worse yet for some Republicans, they see a plate design form New York state, which in their view embodies the worst of liberal politics.
Last Friday, Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel of Wichita sent a letter complaining about the plate to the governor and the secretary of the Department of Revenue, the agency that issues the plates.
Hoheisel, who sits on the House Transportation Committee, urged the governor to set up a process where Kansans could share their ideas about a new plate design.
“By fostering this avenue for public input, we aim to cultivate a heightened sense of civic engagement among the residents, allowing them to play a meaningful role in shaping a symbol of our state’s identity,” he wrote.
“Furthermore, the Legislature was not given the opportunity to review or discuss the new design until merely an hour before its public announcement.”
In an email on Tuesday, Hoheisel thanked the governor for her response.
“I appreciate the governor’s decision to withdraw the proposed license plate and opt for a process that involves the public,” Hoheisel said.
“It’s evident that the initial design didn’t meet the expectations of Kansans. I’m excited to see the various submissions and participate in choosing a new plate that all Kansans can proudly showcase.”
The governor said one of the challenges designing a license plate was meeting the primary reason plates exist: to be clear and easy to read.
She said Kansans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite design among several that follow guidelines that comply with the needs of law enforcement and best practices established by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.
They include:
- License plate numbers will be seven digits.
- Any phrase, motto, or slogan must be placed at the bottom of the license plate.
- Any graphic must be placed on the right or left side of the license plate number.
- Graphics must not resemble letters, numbers or special characters in a way that would interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.
- Background design must not interfere with the ability to read the license plate number.
- The license plate must have a light background behind the license plate number, and the license plate number must be black.
The governor’s office will share more details on license plate options, the voting process, and how this announcement impacts the transition from embossed to print-on-demand plates soon.
