My state government strikes again!
They've enacted yet another stupid law. This one is about, of all things, license plate frames. As of January 1, we are no longer permitted to have them if they obscure the word "Arizona" at the top of the plate (fortunately, mine does not - but the one the dealer put on Joe's car does). However, in violation of the 14th Amendment, it is not going to be uniformly applied. (The article is specifically about the effect of the new law on ASU fans, but a few little tidbits are important.)
The law does not apply to out-of-state license plates.
and
"We are big on officers using the proper discretion, and we'll just use the proper discretion when enforcing it."
Proper discretion, huh? So, if, say, I'm driving a new Escalade, will I be more or less likely to be fined (an "average" of $135, which is more than a lot of other violations for much less reason) than someone driving a 1992 Saturn? That's Unconstitutional, that's what that is.
Why the law, you ask? It's for the glorious new photo radar cameras that our wonderful future Secretary of Homeland Security has put up all over the state (and which, God willing, our incoming Governor will quickly turn off). Because Arizona has gobs of special plates that don't look remotely alike, and some of which are just weird, and, it seems, more on the way. How else are the photo radar workers going to identify the plates? Of course, they can't enforce it on out-of-state cars since other states do not have this law... which means they can't enforce it on in-state cars without violating the 14th Amendment. So it's got two Constitutional violations already.
I don't think this can stand a Supreme Court challenge, frankly.
The law does not apply to out-of-state license plates.
and
"We are big on officers using the proper discretion, and we'll just use the proper discretion when enforcing it."
Proper discretion, huh? So, if, say, I'm driving a new Escalade, will I be more or less likely to be fined (an "average" of $135, which is more than a lot of other violations for much less reason) than someone driving a 1992 Saturn? That's Unconstitutional, that's what that is.
Why the law, you ask? It's for the glorious new photo radar cameras that our wonderful future Secretary of Homeland Security has put up all over the state (and which, God willing, our incoming Governor will quickly turn off). Because Arizona has gobs of special plates that don't look remotely alike, and some of which are just weird, and, it seems, more on the way. How else are the photo radar workers going to identify the plates? Of course, they can't enforce it on out-of-state cars since other states do not have this law... which means they can't enforce it on in-state cars without violating the 14th Amendment. So it's got two Constitutional violations already.
I don't think this can stand a Supreme Court challenge, frankly.