SPRINGFIELD — Robert Hermsmeyer (left) presents Secretary of State George Ryan with Litchfield's Desert Storm special event license plate #1. The plates are helping to welcome home local Desert Storm veterans at a special Fourth of July celebration.

I want to thank the Illinois Municipal League for giving me the opportunity to keep city officials informed of Secretary of State services and programs through the "Illinois Municipal Review."

Your organization and leaders like Tom Fitzsimmons have a reputation for being civic-minded, professional and committed to improving government service. I look forward to working with you.

In the Secretary of State's office, one of the more popular programs in recent years has been special event license plates, which are available to civic groups and others to promote special events. With the approval of the office, organizations may design and have manufactured up to 200 pairs of license plates, valid for 60 days and expiring on the last day of the event. The Illinois Municipal League had special plates commemorating its 75th anniversary in 1988.

This year, many Illinois citizens are welcoming home their Desert Storm veterans with plates commemorating Fourth of July celebrations in their communities. A Welcome Home Committee in Galena and a Celebration Committee in Litchfield are using special event plates to raise money to help support the families and fund the celebrations. At press time, Galena had sold all 200 pairs of its plates and Litchfield had about 50 pairs available.

Although the word "Illinois," the year, and the "Land of Lincoln" slogan must be on all special event plates, remaining colors and designs are determined by event organizers. Many special event plates have elaborate artwork and more than one color that distinguish them from standard plates.

Special event plates are unique in that no two organizations have plates exactly alike. While the Galena and Litchfield plates have U.S. flags and say "Welcome Home, Desert Storm Vets, July 4," the Litchfield plates have a smaller flag and include an airplane, a ship and a tank.

Plates for 80 special events have been approved for 1991, including events sponsored by 16 Chambers of Commerce and six other city organizations. The Paris Chamber of Commerce, for example, will have special event plates honoring its Honey Bee Festival Sept. 20- 21.

The Paris chamber has used special event plates for three years to help construct a new Chamber of Commerce building. Toward that goal, the chamber sells packages for $100, which include the special plates, T-shirts, tickets to the festival, tickets for drawings for give-away trips, and coupons from participating merchants.

Organizations applying for special event plates more than one year must change the design or colors each year. In 1991, the Paris Honey Bee Festival plates will be orange, with a yellow bee and hive, and black embossing.

Manufacturing costs for special event plates are determined by Macon Resources, Inc., in Decatur, which produces all Illinois license plates. If the maximum 200 pairs of plates are ordered and the design contains two

June 1991 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 7

colors, the average price for each pair is $10. Organizations are billed by the manufacturer when the plates are delivered. Organizers then sell the plates, which can be displayed on passenger cars, pickup trucks and recreational vehicles that weigh 8, 000 pounds or less.

Special event plates are bona fide Illinois license plates and must be registered with the Vehicle Services Department before being displayed on a vehicle. To ensure proper registration, the sponsoring organization must receive a legible copy of the vehicle identification card before issuing the special event plates to the motorist.

Registration information is submitted to the Plate Control Division in Springfield on Special Event Plate Assignment Sheet forms, which become official registration records. Illinois law enforcement agencies depend on the assignment listings as official records, matching vehicles displaying special event plates to the legal owners. Any vehicle displaying special event plates also must carry the regular license plates in the vehicle.

The first special event plates were issued for one event in 1976, and the current ongoing program was established in 1980. There has been a steady increase in participants each year.

When organizing a special event, keep in mind that written requests for special event plates must be received in this office at least six months before the event begins. Sufficient lead time is needed to plan, manufacture and deliver the plates. Collectible license plates also are available for special events, but cannot be displayed on vehicles. These plates are available in unlimited quantities and can be sold for any amount. The plates have "COLLECTIBLE" printed in large letters and do not include the "Land of Lincoln" slogan or any numbers.

Special event and collectible license plates are colorful and distinctive, and are growing in popularity. Any organization interested in applying for plates to promote a future event should write to the Secretary of State's office. Vehicle Services Department, Plate Control Division, Room 057, Centennial Building, Springfield, Illinois 62756, or call 217/524-1345. •

Page 8 / Illinois Municipal Review / June 1991