By Summer Seschillie
Utah could be due for a design makeover, said Sen. Dan Eastman (R-Bountiful) in a bill to change the color and look for the Utah state license plates.
Currently, two different designs will be brought before the Senate committee on Tuesday, (Jan. 30, 2007) both of which will show some differing color usage and design presentation.
The 'Ski Utah' plate will be replaced with a new license plate, sporting Utah''s new theme, 'Life Elevated.'
The 'Centennial' license plate will still be available, but slightly modified.
Charlie Roberts, public information officer for the Utah state tax commission, said the only two criteria for redesign is that the name of the state be displayed, and be visible from 100 feet away.
The new designs seem to be receiving mixed reviews.
'Some people don''t like it,' said Jennifer Black, intern for Eastman. 'Some people don''t know anything about it.'
Black said Eastman''s motive behind the new design is to simply update the plates.
'The Salt Lake Winter Games were in 2002,' Black said. ' we''re not celebrating the Centennial anymore.'
Black referred to previous Utah license plate designs, one being the most familiar 'Ski Utah' plates, which shows blue lettering on an all-white face and an icon of a blue skier displayed in the top center part of the plate.
The other most popular plate seen statewide was first produced in 1996, with the words 'Centennial' splashed across the bottom, in reference to the celebration of Utah''s 100 years of history. These plates were originally sold as a special issue item, but later sold as a general issue.
'People are having a hard time because the new plates have a new skier,' Black said.
Black also said some people are responding negatively to the new design colors used.
'People have different colored cars,' Black joked. 'This might not match with everything.'
Kevin Cromer, a Utah resident, thinks otherwise.
'I think it looks sharp,' Cromer said. 'It''s just another option at this time.'
Utah''s new slogan, 'Life Elevated' was launched last April at the proposal of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
The bill, titled SB73, can be found at www.utah.gov under the 'Legislature' link.