Please note: EZ-ID is currently Senate Bill S1798 (click here to read/download the Bill as a PDF file.) Please contact your elected official to voice support this important legislation.
For updated news about EZ-ID, please click the "News" Tab.
EZ-ID.org is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing general issue license plate formats to include a randomly assigned basic symbol, such as a star, heart, diamond, or circle, etc., into each registration number itself. This makes it easier, even for very young children...to recognize, remember, and report license plate registrations for all law enforcement purposes. This program does not displace specialty, low number, or vanity plates, as these are already more recognizable.
In 1903, Massachusetts was the first state in the country to issue license plates, now Massachusetts can lead the way again...by becoming the first to enact EZ-ID license plates.
This is an important tool that will help everyone report:
- General Crime
- Hit & runs, plus other vehicle emergencies
- Amber Alerts - when an abudction could lead to the death of a child every second is critical
- 44% will be dead within the first hour
- 74% will be dead within three hours
- 91% will be dead within 24 hours
Each general issue license plate would have one randomly assigned symbol, which would be used with the other numbers and letters on the driver's registration.
Children learn symbols before they learn to read or write. Even eye charts for children, and illiterate adults use symbols instead of letters. Cognitive studies show that children as young as 2 1/2 years old can remember a symbol a week later, whereas random numbers and letters are a challenge even for adults to remember.
The letter over number code on the left side of the plate, similar to the letter over letter codes used on specialty plates, allows the police and registry to input the symbol's letter designator and position into their computers through standard computer keyboards.
The symbol can be recognized through a rear view mirror and by the large segment of the population with dyslexia, whereas letters and numbers become illegible.
Only 5 characters are needed, including the symbol. In most states, there would be enough mathematical combinations, which could eliminate the six and seven character formats currently being used.
- Fewer characters to remember
- Fonts can be made larger and easier to see
By identifying the color of the car and 3 characters:
Current six and seven character systems only narrow the vehicle search to approximately One in 4,300 for six character systems or One in 150,000 for seven character systems.
The five character EZ-ID system narrows the vehicle search to approximately One in 123 vehicles.
All EZ-ID images are trade-marked. 
Please visit Prtotect Mass Children - Massachusetts ranks #1 for the highest rate of confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in the country ~ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - 2007, 2008, 2009.
Lost and Missing - When a loved one becomes missing, families are extremely distraught. Working along with their law enforcement we will guide families to what needs done to help locate their missing family member. This includes media, marketing, designing missing posters and banners, and assisting the family with needed events as well as contracting for search and rescue, if advised by their local police agency. We are always available to the family and work with pro fessionalism and compassion.
Pioneer Institute is an independent, non-partisan, privately funded research organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts through civic discourse and intellectually rigorous, data-driven public policy solutions based on free market principles, individual liberty and responsibility, and the ideal of effective, limited and accountable government.
February 2012 Stories:
District Attorney's Association Endorses EZ-ID
Sheriff Lew Evangelidis Endorses EZ-ID
Link to Jordan Levy Show 2-8-12 radio pod-cast
Channel 3 Worcester EZ-ID Story
Molly Bish bill would add symbols to license plates in Mass
New Hope for Molly's Bill in 2012
New England Police Chiefs Back "Molly's Bill!"
January 2012 Stories:
Jan 30, 2012: Senator Bruce Tarr Proposes EZ-ID License Plates
1/10/2012: The 800 member New England Association of Chiefs of Police unanimously endorses EZ-ID! See copy of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police endorsement letter here.
2011 Stories:
11/18/2011: Possible break in unsolved Holly Piirainen and Molly Bish cases!
See also the Mass Chief A. Wayne Sampson Executive Director's letter to the Committee on Transportation in support of EZ-ID. In Unity There Is Strength October 27, 2011 (www.masschiefs.org).
11/11/11 - What a GREAT day! The full Board of the Mass Police Chiefs voted unanamously to get behind EZ-ID! Board of Mass Chiefs President Mark Leahy surrounded by Gary Richard (left) and Jay Gardiner, Director of the Molly Bish Center.
Endorsement letter from the Pioneer Institute! (PDF)
Molly's Bill proposes new car plates (10/19/2011)
See also pictures from the October 19th Hearing before the Massachusetts Transportation Committee here (last updated 11/7/2011)
We had a great Hearing yesterday (10/19/2011,) and Fox News is running a poll on EZ-ID, PLEASE go on line and vote and have your friends vote as well! The Committee really liked what they heard, but they will be greatly influenced by this poll...SO PLEASE VOTE in favor of EZ-ID! EZ-ID would bring easier to remember license plates (myfoxboston.com).
Watch news clip from the Foxnews Boston affiliate station here.
Group pitches license plates with symbols as way to fight crime (The Boston Globe 10/20/2011)
URGENT ACTION IS REQUIRED!!! PLEASE ACT NOW ... News update - "Molly's Bill" to be heard on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by the Massachusetts Transportation Committee. Click on the News Tab for additional information.
October 14, 2011 - "Molly’s Bill" S1798, also known as "EZ-ID" to be heard on Wednesday, October 19th. Read the letter we sent to the members of the Massachusetts Transportation Committee here (Adobe PDF).
See the referenced graphics page here (Adobe PDF).
August, 2011 - left to right, Jay Gardiner, the Director of the Molly Bish Center at Anna Maria College, Senator Brewer and Gary Richard. EZ-ID presented Senator Brewer with a thank you plate for his help on behalf of EZ-ID. Thank you all for your support!
August, 2011 - MSPCC is now supporting EZ-ID! (Gary Richard with Marylou Sudders, President and CEO of MSPCC).
7/20/2011 - EZ-ID gets the seal of approval of Lostnmissing, Inc!
"When a loved one becomes missing, families are extremely distraught. Working along with their law enforcement we will guide families to what needs done to help locate their missing family member. This includes media, marketing, designing missing posters and banners, and assisting the family with needed events as well as contracting for search and rescue, if advised by their local police agency. We are always available to the family and work with professionalism and compassion."
June 28, 2011 - Memories of Molly - 25-YEAR TIME CAPSULE FOR MOLLY BISH - in this article Gary Richard, "promoting an “EZ-ID” license plate law, asked those at the vigil to contact their legislators and demand action on legislation that has languished in the Transportation Committee for the past seven years."
http://www.telegram.com/article/20110628/NEWS/106289848/1003/NEWS03
6/14/2011 - "Salem Now" with Leo Jodoin. A great interview about EZ-ID with Gary Richard, Bruce Tarr and Linda Usher. Thanks again Leo for getting the word out about EZ-ID. It will save
lives if it passes but we need people to get involved.
http://cc.satvonline.org/Cablecast/Public/Show.aspx?ChannelID=1&ShowID=2256
6/10/2011 - More proof that symbols and imagery can help identify vehicles from a tragic case in Maine: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/159840/314/Maine-truck-driver-spots-McCrerys-Toyota
5/25/2011 - TV Appearance – Gary Richard will be interviewed live on "Salem Now" cable TV show with Leo Jodoin 7:00 p.m., June 14th. Guests will include Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Representative John Keenan, Former Gloucester Chief of Police Mike McLeod, and parent Linda Usher whose son and friends escaped an attempted abduction. Viewers can call into the station during the program on (978) 740-5599.
3/22/2010 - Showcase Salem TV Program with Peter Alachi (substitute host Gary Richard.) Gary discusses EZ-ID in this great interview with Senator Bruce Tarr, 7th District Representative John Keenan, and Linda Usher.
What is EZ-ID?
EZ-ID is a new license plate format which uses universally recognizable symbols, such as a star, heart, diamond, square, circle, tri-angle, etc., along with alpha numeric characters, to give a graphic that even young children can recognize, remember, and report. Each general issue plate would have one randomly assigned symbol, along with other numbers and letters, making up the individual’s plate registration number. EZ-ID would not displace specialty plates, low number plates, or vanity plates, as these are already more recognizable.
Is there legislation for EZ-ID?
Yes, legislation has been filed again this year, it is Senate Bill S1798 and is also known as "Molly's Bill." It has been in the Massachusetts Transportation Committee for 6 years, without any action being taken. This is the fourth filing of the legislation…first under Bill S2316, S2097, and S1967.
Who invented EZ-ID and why?
Gary P. Richard is the inventor of the EZ-ID License Plate Program. After seeing the news reports on the abductions of two children, he decided to do something about child abduction. In June of 2000, Molly Bish was abducted from her lifeguard job in Warren, Massachusetts; her remains were found 3 years later, 5 miles from her home. In 2002, Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her own bedroom, as her parents slept in the next room...she was held hostage for 9 months. These abductions had a profound affect on him, and he made a commitment to help stop these horrific crimes.
The key to child abduction is the private vehicle
In analyzing the abduction of a child, Gary soon realized that the key to child abduction is the private vehicle; the bad guys do not take the bus to abduct a child. The key to identifying any vehicle is the license plate. The problem is…that random numbers and letters are too difficult to remember, even for an adult, especially in a time of crisis. A young child has virtually no chance at all, to recall such random information.
Critical timing in the recovery of a child, and help with other crimes
Every second is critical in the recovery of a child. Statistics show that if an abduction leads to the death of a child, 44% will be dead in the first hour, 74% within 3 hours, and 91% within 24 hours. The new EZ-ID format would also help with hit and runs, general crime, road rage incidents, stolen vehicles, and homeland security, etc.
Why the use of symbols?
Cognitive studies show that even a 2 ½ year old child can re-call a symbol…even a week later, this is before they ever learn to read or write numbers and letters. Even as adults we are challenged to remember random numbers and letters. In fact, most people who were surveyed did not know the license plate registration number on their own vehicle, which they use every day. Look at how symbols are used on the roads to identify something quickly and from a distance, such as for fuel, food, lodging, hospitals, airports, etc. Studies show that it takes about 7 seconds to read an Amber Alert sign, which is a challenge while driving, and even more challenging to remember. Posting the color of the vehicle, with a symbol, would allow people with cell phones to respond more quickly.
Do symbols offer any other advantages?
Yes! A large segment of the population is dyslexic, which makes numbers and letters difficult to read when reversed, whereas symbols are mirror images of themselves…a star is still a star when reversed. This also allows people to identify symbols when looking in their rear view mirrors.
How would we teach children, and even adults, to identify vehicles?
We would teach everyone to try and identify the color of the car, and the symbol, which would greatly narrow the search. Safety officers would go into the schools, with posters, and games like "car bingo," to start educating children. Ideally, we would try to teach the public to identify the color of the vehicle, the symbol, and two other characters, which is as much information that one could hope to realistically identify and remember. With this information it would reduce the search to about 1 in 123 vehicles, as almost every state would only need to use 5 characters including the symbol, due to the number of mathematical combinations.
With fewer characters than the current 6 and 7 character systems, there would be fewer characters to remember, and the characters could be made larger, making them easier to see from further distances. With the search narrowed to about 1 in 123 vehicles, the driver could be identified in a matter of minutes. This would be a very strong deterrent to abductors. Some have said that these bad guys will just steal other license plates, but in trying to do so, there is a greater risk in getting caught. Also, not all abductions are planned out, some are spur of the moment, and by the time an abductor would try to steal and install two license plates, the potential victim may no longer be vulnerable. Stiffer penalties for stealing license plates could then be legislated, which would take more criminals off of the streets.
Have there been any changes to license plates over the years?
Yes the fonts on license plates have gotten smaller. States have done this to make room for advertising graphics and slogans, in order to promote tourism interest. Unfortunately, this has made license plates more difficult to read. EZ-ID would help by reducing the number of characters, there would be fewer characters to remember, and the fonts could be made larger and easier to see from greater distances. The states could still utilize their advertising/tourism graphics with EZ-ID.
How would the Police and Registry input a symbol into the system using a standard computer keyboard, as these do not have keys for a star, heart, diamond, etc.?
The EZ-ID format utilizes a small letter over number code, to the left of the individual's main plate registration number; this is similar to the letter over letter code used on current specialty plates like the Boston Red Sox plates, which have an “R” over an “S” For example, with EZ-ID an "S" (the letter designates the symbol code, such as an S for star, D for diamond, H for a heart, etc.) over a "3" (the number tells the position code of the symbol in the plate's registration numbering sequence), this would mean that there is a star in the 3rd position in the individual's plate registration number. The Registry and Police can input the EZ-ID code through any standard computer keyboard, just as they would for the Red Sox plates, or any other specialty plates.
What do the Police and Registry think about the new format?
Regular meetings were held at the Massachusetts Statehouse with members of local law enforcement, Massachusetts State Police, the Registry, legislators, citizens, and even a representative from CJIS, the Criminal Justice Information System division of the FBI, and others, with all parties helping to refine the current system. This system would be compatible with other states. We thank each of these individuals for their valuable input.
When Weymouth Police Officer, Bob Barry, then current President of the Massachusetts Safety Officer's League, spoke at the Statehouse press conference...he passionately stated, "We need programs like this. This is a blessing!"
What other support does EZ-ID have?
There has been great support for the Program by families such as the Molly Bish Family, The Elizabeth Smart family, and many others. Numerous legislators have also endorsed the Program, with State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, and Representatives John Keenan and Anne Gobi being the primary sponsors of this year's legislation.
What about the cost of changing the current alpha-numeric system?
The cost appears to be the biggest concern of legislators in adopting this new format. There would be about $150,000 in up front tooling costs and some programming changes to the Registry software. Plates would be changed out over a 5 year period, as registrations came up for renewal. Massachusetts is seeking to have the large number of old green and white plates turned in anyway, as many have deteriorated to point where they cannot even be read anymore. This would be a very opportune time to issue new EZ-ID plates, when the green and white plates are being changed out anyways.
Each state would enjoy millions of dollars in new revenues, through the creative ways that people can also use the symbols on new vanity plates, which would pay for the new system, and even become a positive revenue generator for the state!
What about current specialty plates, low number plates, and vanity plates that are already out there, would these need to be replaced also?
No, these plates would not be replaced, as they are already more identifiable. Having a Red Sox Symbol, for example, gives the public a graphic to identify and report. New specialty plates would also be welcomed as they always include some sort of symbol or graphic, which is easier to identify. There is even a lottery for low number license plates, as they are in such demand…EZ-ID would create many new low number plate options with symbols.
Why hasn’t this become law?
For about 6 years, these Bills (previously submitted as Bill S2316, Bill S2097, and Bill S1967) have been in the Massachusetts Transportation Committee, and have not been put onto the floor of the legislature for vote. We feel that if the Bill does go to the floor of the legislature for vote, that there are sufficient votes for the Bill to pass. We ask the Transportation Committee to please act on the Bill. Our legislators need to hear from the public, and from sponsors, who want to see this highly effective tool implemented for public safety.
What other states are interested in the Program?
Due to a lack of funding and time, EZ-ID this has not been widely promoted. That being said, representatives from Vermont and Rhode Island stated that they would roll out the program with Massachusetts. Other states that have been contacted such as New Hampshire, New York, Maryland, Texas and others have also shown interest. Most are looking to follow Massachusetts’ lead. We feel that if one state adopts it, all the others will follow suit, and this could eventually be adopted around the world.
Could this become part of the Amber Alert Program, or could it be run through some other organization?
Absolutely! Unfortunately, efforts to try and reach and partner with such organizations have not been successful. Also, license plates come under individual state jurisdictions, and therefore cannot be legislated nationally.
Are there any additional ways to improve license plates?
Yes, the technology exists to make paints photoluminescent. This would make them glow in the dark all night long just by absorbing light from the sun, and from the vehicle’s running lights. This would compliment, and not replace the current reflective properties being used on all plates. With glow in the dark features, cars could be seen even if criminals turn their running lights off. Plates that glow…would also help to locate vehicles that have run off the road. This an option listed under the legislation, though it is not a requirement.