Fans of Venus flytraps and specialty license plates can rejoice. After years of being in the works, North Carolina will now see a new design featuring the unique plant added to their rolodex of plate options.
With Governor Roy Cooper signing a transportation bill that encompasses many DMV changes on Wednesday, one inclusion was the remnants of a bill proposed to add a ‘Home of the Venus Flytrap’ license plate – and its origins stem from Chapel Hill.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden’s advocacy nonprofit teamed up with the Friends of Plant Conservation in Raleigh in 2019 to create a specialty license plate about the carnivorous plant, which is native only to the state’s southeastern coasts. The goal of the plate is to raise money to help with the botanical garden’s research and conservation of Venus flytraps, with $20 of the annual $30 fee for drivers with the plate going toward its nonprofit.
But the bill has had a long journey. After receiving hundreds of pre-orders from DMV customers and being introduced to the N.C. House by District 56 Rep. Verla Insko in 2020, it was grouped in with other specialty plates and failed to gain traction.
After Allen Buansi was elected to the district, which serves Chapel Hill and Carrboro, he came across the effort while researching which measures Insko was a sponsor for.
“Of course, [she] and I have a lot of similar interests,” Buansi told 97.9 The Hill. “But seeing the ‘Home of the Venus Flytrap’ license plate, I was like, ‘That’s a great one [to pursue.]’ Similar to her, I’ve got a very big interest in protecting our environment and conservation. And so, I went to two fellow Republican representatives: Rep. Frank Iler and Rep. Ted Davis out of that area of [Brunswick County and] New Hanover County – and I got Rep. Ashton Clemmons from Guilford County to sign on as well.”
The bill passed the House unanimously in 2023. But it stalled out in the Senate, which Buansi says has a reputation for not voting on specialty license plate additions. But he said through much cooperation and collaboration, it was included with the other DMV changes in the latest bill.
“[It happened] through multiple conversations – and I’m sure my Republican colleagues on the bill also worked it,” added Buansi. “I’m just so grateful and thankful that Senate leaders and Sen. Bill Rabon allowed it to go through.”
Buansi said he felt confident about the chances of the ‘Home of the Venus Flytrap’ license plate despite the slow going in the Senate because of its broad bipartisan support. And, as Buansi’s first bill as a primary sponsor, its ultimate success will serve as a special inspiration to him.
“This is one of those things,” he said, “where you get reminded of why you wanted to serve in the first place, which is to get things done. To help people, help our environment…it definitely felt good to get that done. And I’m just looking forward to finding some more common areas that we can on and make some progress on.”
The North Carolina Botanical Garden is also appreciative of the progress made — and the future research support it will provide.
“The Garden is very excited to see the license plate make its way through the process to become a reality,” said Jennifer Peterson, the garden’s director of communications. “I’m looking forward to seeing the plate on the road soon, knowing those drivers are supporting Venus flytrap conservation work.”
The nearly 800 DMV customers who pre-ordered the specialty license plate will receive the initial versions, which Buansi said will take a few months to complete as the plate gets mass-produced and sent to the local DMV locations.
“I would guess that by the end of the year, they may become available for folks outside of the pre-orders to get,” he added. “If you don’t have one and you want one – or if you haven’t heard of it, just know the importance of this plate and what it can do for us – I strongly encourage you to consider when the time comes getting out and getting a plate yourself.”
More information about the Venus flytrap specialty license plate can be found on the North Carolina Botanical Garden’s webpage for the project.
Photo via the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
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