TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday she would halt production of a widely panned new license plate and return to the drawing table.
Republicans and Democrats recoiled last week when the state unveiled a blazing yellow model to replace the current design, in place since 2008, which places the state seal on a light blue background.
“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. “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.”
Kelly’s office said the new process will allow Kansans to vote for their favorite design, and emphasized the primary function of a license plate is to be easy to read. Her office said it would offer details “soon” about the voting process and license plate options.
Along with the new design, the state will transition from embossed plates — notorious for flaking paint — to print-on-demand plates.
The design released last week positioned the license plate number between two stars and above the phrase “to the stars” in italics. The phrase is a reference to the state motto, ad astra per aspera, which means “to the stars through difficulties.”
It was poorly received. The design resembled the New York license plate and used the school colors of the University of Kansas’ archrival, the University of Missouri.
Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican and member of the House Transportation Committee, sent a letter to the governor urging her to reconsider the design and gather public input.
“It’s imperative that we consider the sentiments and concerns of Kansans, particularly when it involves something as prominent as the license plates that willadorn their vehicles for the next decade or more,” Hoheisel wrote in the letter. “License plates are more than just identifiers; they symbolize a sense of pride and belonging for the people of our state.”
