H.C.R. No. 124       HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION            WHEREAS, The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the   first license plate issued by the State of Texas; and          WHEREAS, Introduced in 1917, state-issued license plates   were originally made of sheet iron and featured embossed numbers   painted white on a dark blue background, with the abbreviation   "TEX" on the right-hand side; before that time, Texans were   responsible for obtaining their own license plates, which could be   either homemade or purchased from such places as saddle and   blacksmith shops; and          WHEREAS, The state prison system began manufacturing license   plates in 1935, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice   estimates that by 2016, inmates had created some 650 million   plates; in 1965, the Texas Highway Department, now known as the   Texas Department of Transportation, started offering personalized   vanity plates to the public for an additional fee; and          WHEREAS, As technology advanced through the decades, so did   the manufacture of Texas license plates; TxDOT began producing   digitally printed, vinyl-covered aluminum plates in 2009, and three   years later, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled the   current general-issue plate, which utilizes black type on a white   background and holographic security features; the Texas DMV now   offers 420 plate designs in addition to the general scheme,   including many that honor military veterans; and          WHEREAS, Over the past century, as the automobile industry   has evolved to become a vital sector of the U.S. economy and a   dominant influence on both American society and the national   landscape, vehicle license plates have themselves become a   ubiquitous, critical element of American life; their sale generates   revenue for a variety of state programs, and their role as   identifying markers provides essential aid to law enforcement   officers in the performance of their work; incidental to their   primary function, the plates have achieved a hold on the popular   consciousness, becoming collector's items, a means of personal   expression, and even a decorative feature, notably in countless   roadside diners; and          WHEREAS, A humble, unobtrusive object, the license plate   serves a number of purposes, from the essential to the whimsical,   and it is indeed fitting that this milestone anniversary be   recognized; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas   hereby commemorate the centennial of the first state-issued license   plate in the Lone Star State.     Pickett       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.C.R. No. 124 was adopted by the House on   April 27, 2017, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House                 I certify that H.C.R. No. 124 was adopted by the Senate on May   1, 2017, by a viva-voce vote.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor