paper tag nation

Bill to Eliminate Paper License Plates in Texas Passes Texas Senate

Texas Senate passes a bill that would replace paper temporary tags with metal license plates

Texas is just two steps away from eliminating paper license plates.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the Texas Senate voted 30-1 to pass a bill that would replace paper temporary tags with metal license plates.

The bill is now headed back to the Texas House where, if members concur with Senate amendments, the bill will head for Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) desk.

A yearlong series of reports from NBC 5 Investigates led to calls for change. Our series, "Paper Tag Nation" exposed how criminals obtained car dealer licenses so they could access the Texas DMV's online system and then print and sell fraudulent paper tags.

Some of those tags were then used on cars involved in serious crimes.

State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) told the Senate that passage of the bill would deliver a blow to organized crime.

Over the last year, the Texas DMV has implemented new security measures and suspended dozens of licensed car dealers suspected of using the state's own system to sell fraudulent tags on the black market. 

But as the DMV cracked down, counterfeiters stepped in making and selling entirely fake tags and capitalizing on the widespread confusion created by the proliferation of fraudulent tags printed out of the DMV's system.

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