House okays bill mandating bigger license plate for motorcycles

The House of Representatives unanimously approved on final reading a bill mandating the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to provide bigger license plates for motorcycles.

With 219 affirmative votes and no negative votes or abstentions, the House approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 8419 or the proposed “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.”

Once HB 8419 is enacted into law, the LTO will provide bigger motorcycle plates with alphanumeric characters and a large font that is readable from a distance of at least 12 meters from the motorcycle.

It also penalizes riders and passengers who use a motorcycle in committing a crime or as an escape vehicle.

A rider driving without a bigger plate will be apprehended and his or her motorcycle impounded under the bill. He or she may redeem the motorcycle once he or she complied with the measure and paid assessed fines.

READ: Motorcycle headlight, bigger plate bills move up in House

The bill will then be transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence, followed by a bicameral conference committee approval and Congress ratification before it is sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature and enactment into law. /ee