Government: In California, License Plates Might Go Electronic

It's not even April, and yet ...

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would allow the state to begin researching the use of electronic license plates for vehicles. The move is intended as a moneymaker for a state facing a $19 billion deficit.

The device would mimic a standard license plate when the vehicle is in motion but would switch to digital ads or other messages when it is stopped for more than four seconds, whether in traffic or at a red light. The license plate number would remain visible at all times in some section of the screen.

From In California, License Plates Might Go Electronic by Robin Hindery, June 20, 2010, at mercurynews.com.