Environment

License plates support causes, but how many is too many?

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By JENNA CHAPMAN
Capital News Service
LANSING – All Great Lakes drivers have something in common: They can buy license plates that benefit the environment. The causes are as diverse as protecting water, funding nature preserves and saving river otters. Michigan offers 27 plates, including four focusing on the environment and one for lighthouse preservation. That number pales in comparison to Ohio where 164 specialty plates are available, including two that benefit Lake Erie projects. All that variety has drawbacks for some environmental causes, and the increasing competition for specialty plate sales means fewer drivers are buying environmental plates.

Government

They know where you were—but maybe only for 48 hours

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By ASHLEY WEIGEL
Capital News Service
LANSING — Legislation requiring police to delete license plate numbers collected by automatic high speed cameras may be coming to Michigan. Rep. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, wants to restrict how long police can store license plate numbers from automatic license plate readers. Singh wants police to delete the data after 48 hours. There are no limits on how long the data is kept now. The automatic license plate readers are placed on both patrol cars and stationary objects, such as road signs and traffic lights, and capture photos of passing vehicles’ license plates.